Liar, Liar
by cause.A.scene
Summary: COMPLETE Rodney returns to Atlantis after a long trip only to find more trouble back home. Guess who? Set before Sunday because this is fanfic and I can do that. Shep Whump in an interesting way...
1. When One Door Closes

**General:** Alright, so this will be my first SGA story that is not a tag. So, I'm a little worried but we'll see.

**Updating:** This is always a worry for me as I don't want to let you guys down. So, I'm a few chapters ahead and as of now, I should have plenty of time to continue. But, I won't be updating once a day, just to make sure I can stay regular (it is my plane at least.) Maybe every other day or something. Don't know yet.

**Rating:** K or K+ - never really good at the rating thing... basically, the only bad thing is curse words that you hear Sheppard and McKay and others say all the time. I don't like to use words you won't hear on the show. So.. no f-bomb or other nonexecptable words. You should all be fine.

**I don't** **own any of this. **Hope you all enjoy. Starts off from Rodney's point of view. - Have fun.

* * *

Four days. 

Four. Freaking. Days.

Four days when it was only supposed to be a matter of hours, a day at most. It had started off as a routine trip to one of their allied planets, as was required every month or so, and it just so happened that the one time everything wanted to screw up, it had been Rodney's turn.

Of course, he wasn't dead or even hurt, just annoyed beyond all reason. Four days alone on a primitive planet was bad enough, but then you add the whole 'being trapped in a tiny hut while a storm rages outside' factor, and it just really did not add to the pleasure of the situation.

Honestly, someone should have seen the storm coming. It worked on fairly regular schedule, so _someone _should have been able to say, "There's going to be a huge-ass storm coming and you'll have to wait it out."

But no. How could he expect that of some of the absolute smartest scientists on Earth?

Rodney sighed. Either way, the storm was over, he had gotten very brief contact with a rescue team from Atlantis, and had been assured that they could finally come and pick him up. And there really could not have been a better time. Well, other than before it all happened.

The hut had been frightfully small and cramped with half a dozen people, two of which were young children. And to make things better, they had remained unnaturally calm during the strong winds and deafening crashes, while Rodney had decided to panic.

It was just not his strong point; staying calm under pressure. That was Sheppard's thing. Maybe even Teyla. Ronon would just want to go out and somehow fight the storm. But seeing as how he didn't have Sheppard to keep him calm, nor Teyla or even Ronon, he had freaked out a little during the first day. And had been the only one to do so.

But, the locals had been used to it, and therefore were prepared for it all. Plenty of food and water was stored in the building, as well as blankets and candles. So, at least a hypoglycemic attack had not been added to his list of ailments.

But all was well now, and he was about to go home, to Atlantis. Finally. It was odd how much he could miss that place sometimes. And maybe, just maybe, he missed some of the people as well. Maybe.

He had only been able to hold contact with Atlantis for about a minute or so, but in that time, he had been able to give his location and was told to stay put due to possible damage from the storm. He definitely would not argue with that order.

It had seemed like hours before the jumper had arrived, ready to take him back to Atlantis. But finally, he heard the sound of one overhead and took a few steps outside to see it land.

Dawn was just breaking on the planet, spreading light against the ravished land. Rodney had only ever seen damage such as this on television when hurricanes had gone through places like Florida and such. It was an odd beauty, knowing that something as uncontrollable as nature had caused it here, just like it caused similar events in a completely different solar system.

But, no sight was more beautiful than that of the puddle jumper. Pure beauty was the only word that could possibly explain it. And part of him was sure that the rear hatch would open to reveal Lt. Colonel John Sheppard grinning like a jackass in light of Rodney's recent ordeal.

But he had been wrong.

The rear hatch opened instead to reveal Major Lorne, and while Rodney was slightly surprised, it didn't phase him much as the Major was just as capable of flying the jumper through the Stargate and to Atlantis. It was actually in walking distance, well, walking distance to Sheppard and co, but with all the damage, it was best to go via jumper.

"Dr. McKay. Good to see you," Lorne greeted, his tone legit, but his face was solemn.

"Yes, yes. Let's just get out of here," Rodney retorted, not really in the mood to talk pleasantries.

Lorne nodded then began to address his team. "You two stay here, we'll send two more teams out here to help clear the ruble." The men nodded then made their way over to McKay's four-day home.

The children, as well as the three adults Rodney had been staying with were huddled just outside the door, gaping at the jumper and smiling at the departing Rodney.

"Uh, right…" Rodney tried, not knowing exactly what to say to them. "Well, thanks then."

The people smiled in a way that reminded him of Sheppard's look that said he knew what McKay meant. And that was good enough for him. He carried his pack and tac vest into the jumper and flopped down in the co-captain chair. It would only be him and Lorne on the way back, and Rodney was used to sitting next to Sheppard.

Lorne said nothing, just went in and sat down in his seat and activated the ship. His face was tense, and while McKay didn't know him too well, Lorne seemed oddly tense for any given person. And if it was how the man always was, Rodney was hard pressed to understand how he could work under Sheppard. Then again, Rodney managed to work with Sheppard.

"So," Rodney breathed, resting his head against the back of the seat. "I take it Atlantis managed to stay in tact while I was gone."

Lorne did not take his eyes from the front windshield, but answered none-the-less. "Atlantis is fine."

The Major's voice was definitely full of weariness, or something like it. Rodney suddenly felt a horrible thought wash over him.

"Every_one _is fine, right?"

But before Lorne could answer, the Stargate appeared in front of them and Dr. Weir's voice interrupted Rodney's thoughts.

"_Major Lorne, are you on your way back yet?"_

"Yes ma'am. And I have Dr. McKay with me and he's fine. I've told my men we'd send more people to help with the clean-up, if that's ok with you ma'am?"

"_Yes, that's fine, Major. Just please get Rodney here, we could really use him right now."_

"Understood, ma'am. Sending my IDC now."

"_Right, come on home. Weir out."_

Rodney sat perplexed, wondering what the conversation meant. Obviously there was something wrong in Atlantis, but according to Lorne, it was not Atlantis itself. A hint of fear rose through him as he started to guess what all could be wrong. But before he could ask, the twinkling blue event horizon engulfed him, and the familiar feeling of 'Gate-travel filled his body.

When they entered the jumper bay, Lorne seemed to be ushering him out a little quicker than usual.

"Ok, just spill it. What's going on?"

He could see for himself that everything seemed to be fine with Atlantis and was getting sick of feeling like he was being kept out of the loop. But Lorne didn't say anything, just looked a little worried. Rodney was about to continue his badgering until he saw Weir coming down the steps in an unusual way compared to her natural grace.

"Elizabeth, what's going on?"

The look on her face told him so much. It was not anger, nor was it deep sadness, but it was more of a rushed look. Rodney frowned.

"We… we have a few problems that we haven't been able to fix, Rodney. And, while it isn't too bad right now, we just need to fix it as soon as possible."

"Elizabeth, stop sugarcoating things. You know that in order for me to do anything at all, I have to know the situation as clear as you can put it." He was now getting annoyed at everyone holding back on him. But deep down, a part of him knew who these "problems" were going to revolve around.

"Its John."

* * *

What did you guys think? Ha, guess you have no idea right now, but if you like Shep whump, I think you might like it. :) 


	2. The Shocks of Life

**AN: **Ok, so I told you updates wouldn't be frequent with updating, but I thought that since the first chapter gave you guys absolutely nothing, I would post this almost as if it were part two of chapter one. That ok with you guys? But, the next chapter won't come as quick. Maybe Monday or late Sunday if I gt far enough ahead...

**Warning: **I'm trying really hard to keep everything answered and leave no gaps as to whats going on, but it is kind of hard. Of course, you'll know more next chapter, but when doing something like this, there are always little loopholes where people can say "Well, why can't they just do this?" Or something. So, I'm really trying to avoid that, and again, I'm very new at this. So, sorry if not everything is 100 percent convincing. Just let me know and if I can clear it up for you, I will. Hah... I'm so nervous about this...

**EDIT: **It's been brought to my attention that I have typo's, which I know happens, but I don't like to have them. But, I'm not really familiar with the beta-system. But, if anyone would like to beta, could you please contact me through reviews or a private message, that would be lovely. I know typo's can throw people out of a story, and I don't want to do that to you guys. So... yeah. Anyways...

Enjoy!

* * *

"_It's John._" 

Rodney wasn't sure whether he felt more compelled to start throwing out questions as he ran to the infirmary, or simply roll his eyes. _Of course it was John_, he thought to himself. The colonel wouldn't want Rodney to come back to Atlantis after four days of utter hell and take it easy, now would he? But despite these thoughts, fear rose throughout his body and Elizabeth's facial expression wasn't reassuring him.

"He's not dead, right," Rodney asked, half sarcastically, half out of real fear for his friend.

"Oh no.. no he's not Rodney. Just… it's a little complicated."

Now he was really getting fed up with all of this. Talking to Elizabeth was getting him nowhere, and when it came to the Colonel and his elaborate injuries, time was usually of the essence.

"I take it he's in the infirmary then?"

Elizabeth nodded, but Rodney was already walking towards Beckett's lair. Thanks to Elizabeth, he had absolutely no idea what to expect. Knowing Sheppard, he was probably bleeding out of multiple wounds and hooked up to half a dozen machines. But then again, Elizabeth had sounded like Rodney was needed to help out when she had talked to Lorne in the jumper. But Rodney would be of no help if blood was involved. And, he wouldn't need to help because Sheppard was here with Beckett. So, in general, Rodney was at a complete and total loss.

"Rodney," he heard Elizabeth call from behind him, but he chose not to slow on her behalf.

"What did he do this time? Get attacked by an alien shark while surfing? Or maybe he fell down the stairs. He's so coordinated when it's a life or death situation, but I've seen him trip over absolutely nothing when he's just wandering around the docks or something."

They were now in the hallway of the infirmary, and despite Rodney's teasing Sheppard and coming up with different scenarios for what happened him, fear and worry gripped at his stomach. He was really too tired for all of this. Being friends with John Sheppard really had it's price, usually paid in hours of pure worry waiting to hear his fate.

Rodney was about to open the infirmary door when Elizabeth called his name again.

"Rodney, wait. I need to talk to you before you go in," Elizabeth said, her face serious and her eyes tired. Rodney frowned at this. It must be pretty bad if Elizabeth was looking more tired than usual.

"Fine, but no beating around the bush. You come out and say it or else I'll go in there and find out for myself."

Elizabeth nodded. "Like I said, its complicated," she repeated, taking a deep breath. "It was one of the Ancient devices that were discovered a couple of weeks ago…"

"An Ancient device," Rodney interrupted loudly, not expecting Sheppard's issues to revolve around a device. "What was he doing messing around with those devices? He usually stays out of the labs."

Elizabeth sighed in such a way that said she was getting to the worst part. "It wasn't him, Rodney. He was testing it on behalf of two of your people. He was asked to and you now how good he is at saying no…"

Rodney stood frozen, nailed to the floor. Anger now joined the fear and worry squeezing his stomach and he could feel his face growing hotter.

"What?! He's… _he's _not supposed to be tested when I'm not here. Not him… Oh my God. Those devices were the ones we determined as being used for…" But Rodney felt that there was no need to finish his statement as he remembered what the research on the devices had proved.

He left Elizabeth and went over to the door and opened it. And once again, all the things he had expected to see upon entering the infirmary were not there. Including Sheppard.

The infirmary was empty. At least, the first section everyone was kept in was empty with the occasional nurse passing through. Which could only mean Sheppard had been moved to the more private section of the infirmary, which also meant things were a little more serious.

The anger dissipated slightly as the worry grew, and he found himself walking a little slower to the private section in anticipation on what he was about to see. He didn't go into the room, but stood at the window instead. Inside, he could see Ronon's freakishly tall figure and Teyla's more petite one. They were standing around a bed all the way to the left side of the room, looking at the other side of the room. Rodney followed their gaze and was utterly surprised at what he saw.

"He looks… ok?" Rodney stated uncertainly to no one in particularly, though Elizabeth had apparently heard. She suddenly appeared at his side and watched the scene before her as well.

"That's what I was trying to tell you, Rodney," she replied, letting out a deep sigh. "It's complicated."

Rodney chose not to say anything else, just watch. Sheppard was pacing back and forth in a very small section of the large room. But he was not simply pacing, as Rodney soon discovered. Every one of his movements were shaky and anything but steady. Quite the opposite of Sheppard's normal ease to his every move. Rodney frowned again as he noticed dark circles under the Colonel's eyes and how utterly tired the man looked. He would respond every now and then to something that Teyla or Ronon would say, but never stopped his pacing.

"Shouldn't he be laying down," Rodney asked, still watching Sheppard with growing unease. "Where is Beckett anyway, and why is he letting him pace around the room? And no more cryptic, unhelpful crap."

"He can't sit down. He can't stop moving," Elizabeth answered without hesitation, though there was large amount of anxiety in her otherwise soothing voice. "He can't eat, sleep, or lie."

Rodney broke his eye contact with Sheppard and the others at this point as Elizabeth's words washed over him.

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me Rodney. Now, if I understand correctly, you and your team had already figured out that the last group of devices found were supposedly used for.."

"Interrogations," Rodney finished her sentence. "Which is why we were going to wait a lot longer before testing anyone. And even then it wouldn't have been _him._" Rodney was pissed now. Not only was Sheppard experiencing the effects of some largely unknown device, two of his own people were to blame.

"Rodney, I understand you being upset, but right now we have to figure this out before we run out of time."

"Run out of time?"

Elizabeth nodded somberly. "A person can only last so long without food or any kind of rest. Luckily it seems to allow water through an IV, but he usually jerks it out pretty quickly."

Rodney nodded and thought for a moment. "How long?"

"Almost a day," Elizabeth answered, her eyes serious. But before the conversation could go any further, gasps were heard, and then the all too familiar shout of "Dammit!"

Rodney turned back quickly to see Sheppard crouched on the floor, shaking even more than before. He watched as Teyla and Ronon went to his side, and slowly lifted him back onto his feet, as though they had done it plenty of times before.

He heard a sigh from behind him and watched as Elizabeth entered the room. He decided to follow her.

"What did you lie about this time, Sheppard," she asked with a sad smirk upon entering the room.

Sheppard looked up to answer her, then spotted Rodney. Rodney decided that he looked even worse up close. Now that he was staring Sheppard in the face, the dark circles were more prominent around his eyes, and his endless shaking and twitching was even more disheartening up close.

"You're… you're ok…," Sheppard said, his voice trembling with his body, though it was much steadier than Rodney would have guessed. "What… what happened out there? I wanted to go, but…"

"I told him no," a thick Scottish accent interrupted, announcing Beckett's presence.

"I knew I couldn't fly… a damn ship like this anyway, Doc," Sheppard said, his voice low and filled with frustration.

Rodney was still a bit shocked by Sheppard's appearance that he didn't answer right away, but quickly found himself again. "Uh… it was just a storm. I was perfectly fine. But of course, I was trapped in a little hut for four days with a bunch of kids and just when I think I can come back and relax… well, _you_ happen."

Rodney mentally slapped himself. He was not good at this. The whole reassuring thing. That was Teyla's thing. Not his, definitely not his. But, he saw Sheppard smile.

"Yeah, well you.. can't s…sit on your ass for four days and… expect even more time off…" But even as he said it, a suddenly jerk almost caused him to lose his balance again. He had apparently been too still.

"Rodney, the device was broken," Teyla said, coming forward to get down to the point. "Your team has been working to repair it, though I do not feel there has been much progress."

Rodney suddenly remembered what had caused this in the first place and the anger revved up again.

"Where are they," he asked suddenly, looking around at everyone, but mostly Elizabeth. "Who did it, and where are they?"

He saw Sheppard wince. "McKay…"

"No," he said cutting him off. "I need to know who did this. Now. And what possessed them to do this. They know… they know you're off limits when I'm not here. And… they will know what device and… how the hell did it break anyway?!" There was no denying it, Rodney had lost his patients now.

"Rodney…" Teyla began, sensing his rising anger. "You must remain calm."

Rodney barked out a laugh. "Calm? How am I supposed to be calm with him pacing around and twitching all over the place," he said, his eyes back on Sheppard who had continued his pacing.

Sheppard shrugged, though it was lost amongst the endless trembling. "I'm calm," he stated simply, and it might have even reassured Rodney some had Sheppard not suddenly doubled over and convulsed for a few seconds, much like the time before when he had heard Sheppard shout 'Dammit.'

Ronon and Beckett were suddenly at Sheppard's side, raising his still shaking body to his feet.

"What the hell was that," Rodney shouted, more shocked than he had been before.

"The reason he can't stay still, eat, or tell a lie," Beckett answered, still looking his patient over.

"It's also the reason we need you to be calm, Rodney," Elizabeth added, her voice stern and steady, her eyes forceful in an Elizabeth-way.

Rodney nodded. Whatever was going on with Sheppard seemed serious, and it was only going to get worse the longer they waited.

"Ok… so what are all the symptoms, and how did it break," Rodney asked, looking away from Sheppard, knowing it was the only way he would stay even remotely focused.

"It shocks him every time he tries to lie. He throws up everything he tries to eat, and whatever it is, is keeping his adrenaline and blood pressure pretty high, which is why can't sit still. But I'm thinking there may also be pumping something into his body, but we haven't detected anything yet," Beckett said, his hands placed firmly on his hips.

"And the idiot dropped the device," Ronon's deep voice added.

"The idiot," Rodney questioned. "That's all? It was _dropped?_" One of _his _people had managed to put the military commander's life in danger all because they were incompetent enough to drop the damn thing?!

"Part of the device is attached to him still, but yes, the other part was dropped. We believe… the tester, was unaware that the device used electricity when a lie was told, and when the Colonel was shocked, the device was dropped out of surprise," Teyla now spoke, her voice as soothing as ever, though there was more urgency to it now.

"Great… now that everyone knows… how screwed I am, I've really got to get out… of here," Sheppard said, now able to stand on his own feet though he was intentionally swaying. He started for the door, but Beckett grabbed his trembling shoulder.

"I don't think so, son. I think it would be best for you to stay."

"Sorry doc, I c…can't. Too small."

"John.." Elizabeth began, but was cut off.

"No… look, send someone… w…with me. But, believe it or..not, I'm not really all that bad r…right now…," but he stopped suddenly, winced as though he knew he had said something wrong, then doubled over again, his body tensing once more.

He was lifted up again, and after regaining his balance, started for the door again. This time avoiding all outstretched arms and protests. Beckett looked over to Ronon and Teyla, who nodded and followed John out the door.

Once they were gone, Beckett addressed Elizabeth and Rodney further on the situation. "He's getting weaker. He could live without food for a while, but when you combine that with absolutely no rest, it will take it's toll. And soon. And the shocking isn't helping either."

"How long," Elizabeth asked, feeling as though she had done this all before.

"I couldn't say, but he can't last much longer without sleep. For some people, it takes just over a day, others take longer, but eventually, he will pass out. And while that may seem welcoming, I'm afraid passing out or putting him in a medically induced sleep could prove to be fatal. We just don't know enough."

Rodney's heart had been speeding up the whole time he had been back until he couldn't take it anymore. "Alright, alright. I'll save the day again. Just tell me where the idiots are and where the device is so I can fix this."

"They're in Lab 3, Rodney. We've had everyone working on this since it happened. And Rossom and Dulane have been working on it nonstop, so take it easy on them," Elizabeth stated.

"Rossom and Dulane," Rodney repeated. "It was them?"

Beckett and Elizabeth nodded. The faces of Emily Rossom and Russell Dulane popped into his head, and more anger filled his veins. He needed to hear nothing else. His work was set out for him and he had two people to put through hell for putting his friend, team leader, and the number one protector of the entire mission through hell.

With that, he turned away from Elizabeth Weir and Carson Beckett, and headed for Lab 3.

* * *

**EN: **Ok, so now that you guys have an idea, what do you think? It was hard to fiugre out what I wanted to do, but this kept coming back so I thought, why not give it a try? 


	3. Broken Records and Small Things

**AN:** I hope the wait wasn't too bad. I was going to wait until tomorrow, but I thought I would go ahead and give it to you all now. I just hate making you guys wait… Hehe..

**Thanks: **So much to all who reviewed. I tried to reply to everyone who commented on the second chapter.. I just got lazy and didn't do the first chapter, but I think most of them from the first chapter came over to second chapter as well. So that's good.

**Thanks Even More: **To **_Stealth Dragon_**, who so bravely sacrificed herself to improve this chapter! And, she was quite successful, if I do say so myself. And I do. I am lucky to have her. So, thanks a ton!

And, without further ado… Chapter Three!!

* * *

_Emily Rossom. Russell Dulane. Emily Rossom. Russell Dulane. _

The names replayed in his mind like a broken record. He hadn't really liked either of them, anyway, though that didn't say much as he didn't like most people. Still, he remembered those two, which was never really a good thing when it came to Rodney. It was usually best to just stay in the background and allow him to mispronounce your name. 

But those two people he remembered, and knew he would be remembering them even more from now on. The frustration inside of him kept building to the point that he was having a hard time focusing on where he was going. But, finally, he saw his destination and stormed right in.  
_  
"_Rossom! Dulane!" He shouted as he stepped into the room, causing half a dozen heads to jerk up. They were all clearly more jumpy than normal. He scanned the tops of everyone's head until he saw two sitting particularly close together, almost as if they were attempting to hide. But, upon being spotted, Emily Rossom and Russell Dulane stood up and made their way over to Rodney.

"Now, I don't have a lot of time to fully tell you how thoroughly pissed I am that you would break such a rule, but I will be sure to make time later. What I need to know, now, is which device, all the research you have on it - if any at all - and the device itself. Got that?"

The two young scientists looked at each other, then back at Rodney.

"Y-yes, Sir. But… we didn't really break any rules," Rossom started, her voice unsteady and her eyes unsure, but she continued anyway. "We are allowed to test the devices when our research permits."

"Oh, and that is such a lovely and well-rehearsed little speech you got there. However, I spot one teensy-weensy problem. There was apparently not enough research as _someone _didn't seem to know that the device liked to shock people," Rodney spat in his famous _'I'm pissed and worried'_ voice. "And you did break a rule. It may have been an unwritten one, but you don't go around testing on the military commander. Especially when I'm not here. That doesn't need to be written because anyone with half a brain should know that on their own."

The two scientists stood, gaping, their faces tight with worry and what seemed to be shame. And then there was the fact that they both looked ready to pee in their pants.

"Now, enough with trying to cover your own ass, and get me that information now or you will be on the first flight back to Earth. And if you think I can't pull some strings and make it to where neither of you get a job in the field of science ever again, then you're terribly mistaken. Do I make myself clear?"_  
_  
They both nodded like little children being scolded by their parents, and moved away from Rodney quicker than he could have imagined. Not that he blamed them. He could be pretty darn fierce.

Rodney sighed as countless numbers of papers were brought to him. He was then ushered around to every computer for additional readouts, and finally saw the device itself.

It could have been worse. Even _he _could admit that. He knew for a fact that it was fixable, he just wasn't really sure how long it would take. Of course, he was pushed into performing extremely complex tasks in mere minutes on a frequent basis, so he could hopefully pull this off just as miraculously.

Rodney sighed again as he delved further into the device, as well as the computers. He found himself dismissing more and more of the scientists to get them out of his way. He usually found that he worked better alone, but he kept Rossom and Dulane in the lab, not wanting to let them go. He still wasn't sure what he was going to do with them, but he didn't want them to leave. He wasn't sure why, he just didn't. So, he left them to squirm uneasily in his wake.

It took just over an hour, but he finally felt that he had enough information to contact Beckett and Elizabeth, and have some good info to update them with.

---------------------------

He paced. Paced because he had to, not because it was natural for him. God, he felt so weird. He could honestly say that he had only taken a few drugs in his lifetime, all of which were during his testosterone-filled teenage years, and had an idea of how they felt. But they were nothing like this. He knew there were a few that would put a person in a similar state as his. He also knew that withdrawal was similar, although he had never personally encountered either of those.

In fact, he had never felt anything close to this. Now, he _had _been tortured during one of his tours in the Middle East. And there, he had been sleep deprived and had to deal with no food, but never had he felt like the world would end if he so much as stood still for two seconds.

No, never anything like this.

What were the Ancients thinking with something like this? Granted, it was a pretty fool-proof way to get people to talk. Well, people that would eventually talk. He knew that no matter what, he would never divulge any information to the enemies. He would die first. It was simply his training. But this thing was pretty extreme.

He reached his hand up to the back of his head and felt the piece that was still firmly attached to him. It was small and oval-shaped. It didn't hurt at all, even when he tried to remove it. It wouldn't budge, of course, and eventually Beckett had instructed him to stop.

He felt kind of bad about leaving the infirmary so quickly. He knew they were all worried, but what he said was true, it was just too small. He felt most comfortable pacing and the walls of the infirmary had begun to close in on him. Even the sanitary smell had begun to suffocate him. Not to mention all those people with their pity-filled faces.

Yet here, everything was different. It was one of those places that reminded him of just how small he really was in the grand scheme of things. It was weird; before the Stargate, he had always known there were other galaxies and that the universe was much too large to comprehend. Now that he had been to new galaxies and saw for himself the sheer vastness of space, it didn't actually make him feel smaller. The opposite, really, because now he could actually see how massive it was, making the unimaginable, imaginable. Therefore, seeing so much of space had made it lose some of its majesty, its vastness.

But, standing on one of Atlantis' many piers, staring off into the setting sun amongst an endless deep blue ocean, he couldn't feel any smaller. And he wouldn't have it any other way. Not only did it put things into perspective, it made his endless trembling fade from his mind. Even his pacing slowed as the beauty overwhelmed him. And not much could do that to him.

He was well aware that Teyla and Ronon were behind him, but it didn't bother him. In fact, he kind of welcomed the thought. This was something he had never gone through. Not like this. And while he figured he could do it on his own, he knew it would be easier to have help. Especially when it came from people that really wanted to give their help.

They remained silent for a long time, allowing John to lose himself in nature's beauty and to calm down some. It felt so much better than the few medications Beckett had been willing to give him.

"Colonel, are you feeling a little better now," Teyla asked cautiously when she noticed Sheppard calming and becoming more aware of them. But she also knew that if he lied, he would be shocked. She only hoped that he would tell the truth.

He also seemed to consider this possibility as he took a few seconds to reply. "Yeah, I am," he finally said, sounding confident and genuine. Tension hung in the air as they waited for anything to happen, but when it didn't, smiles crept onto all of their faces.

"I am very glad to hear that, John," Teyla replied, her smile reaching from ear to ear.

Sheppard chuckled back. "Yeah, me to."

It was a nice moment, brought about by very little. And, sometimes, it was the little things that meant the absolute most.

And yet, it was funny how those perfect moments could be forgotten so quickly.

Sheppard suddenly dropped to his knees, and while he didn't tense or convulse like they had all expected, his head did fall into his hands as he seemed to fall out of focus. Ronon and Teyla were immediately at his side, Ronon ready to pull him back up, and Teyla already reaching for her comm. set.

"Dr. Beckett," she called into it quickly.

"_Yes, love. What is it?_"

"The Colonel just lost balance and fell to his knees. He seems to be disoriented," she said, her voice clear as day but filled with worry and anxiety.

"_Is he conscious?_" Beckett responded urgently.

Teyla observed Sheppard who was now looking blearily back at her. He was not all there, just enough to let her know he that was aware of his surroundings.

"Yes, he is conscious. What do you recommend we do, Doctor?" she asked, sharing a thoughtful look with Ronon.

There was a pause, letting Teyla know that he was just as unsure as she was. On one hand, John was more comfortable on the pier and out in the air. But, he was deteriorating and needed to be under medical care, whether they were baffled over his condition or not.

"_Get him back here. Maybe he's just dehydrated,_" Beckett replied, sounding desperately hopeful.

Teyla nodded, then looked to Ronon who was still at Sheppard's side. She noticed that the Colonel was becoming more and more still, though he still seemed to be conscious. And, suddenly, as he grew completely still, a shock rattled through his body, causing him to tense up and Teyla and Ronon to withdraw their hands.

No swear word came from any of them, but Teyla had emitted a small yelp, then called John's name. Sheppard quickly signified that he was okay, so Ronon and Teyla lifted him up where he began swaying and rocking back and forth on his feet.  
_  
"What was that?!"  
_  
Teyla jumped again, having forgot about Dr. Beckett being on the line.  
_  
"_It… It appears as though the device uses electricity when one is too relaxed in addition to lying," she answered exasperatedly. Until this point, they had only suspected it used electricity when he lied, and because he had never grown completely still until this point, they had thought lying was the extent.

"_Oh, lovely,_" Beckett bitterly replied. "_Right, just get him here. We were just going to see Rodney. He said he had some new information._"

That news brought some relief to Teyla. She knew once Rodney had returned, John's chances would increase significantly. She had always had a great deal of faith in Rodney when it came to matters such as this.

"Like what?" Ronon grunted as they all made their way to the infirmary.

"_He didn't say. Sounded like he had something good, though. Anything is welcomed as far as I'm concerned._"

"I agree," John said suddenly, sounding more tired than ever.

A weary smile was suddenly brought to everyone's face as they realized that, while things were getting tough and a little larger than life, sometimes it was necessary to stop and look at the smaller things. Like the fact that John was still very much alive and was giving it his all to stay that way.

* * *

**EN: **Ok.. So who still likes it? Ha, I usually find that after the third chapter, people start to drop off of the story… Never knew why, just grew to accept it. Teehee.. Well, hoped it didn't throw anyone off. 

**Next Chapter**: Ok, I just wanted to mention it real fast because I'm so excited about it. It's done and was sent of to be beta'd and if she says its understandable, it should really be a good chapter. In it, you'll find out a LOT about the actual device and how it works.. And I am just really pleased with how it turned out. I hope** Stealth Dragon** agrees, because there is a lot of info in it, and while it makes sense to me.. I'm also the one who created the device. Gah... I'm nervouse. Sorry about that, just had to talk a little about it.

Cheers, everyone! And you all have a great Sunday and an equally great Labor Day!


	4. Trust Me

**AN: **Party time! Alright, so here's the next one. It has been my favorite so far. Hope you all enjoy as well.

**Beta: **Big thanks again to _Stealth Dragon._ The chapter flows a lot better now because of her, and she seemed to understand everything. So, we're good.

**Warning: **Lot of information in here, so be sure to stay on your toes and pay attention. Important stuff here.

**Posting: **So, the long weekend is over, and that means I won't have much time to write. The weekdays get very busy. So.. updates will not be as frequent, but rest assured: they will come eventually.

Alright, enjoy.

* * *

Rodney walked swiftly through the halls, his mind racing with different details about the device and his next step to figuring it out. Of course, going to the infirmary to tell Beckett and Weir about the information he had gathered so far was not really on his list of things to do. But, shortly after he had called them to his lab, Beckett had called back saying he needed to remain in the infirmary and that Rodney would have to come there.

So there he was, in the hallway to the infirmary for the second time that day. At least this time he had a better idea of what was going on. He came to the door and walked in. In the middle of the room stood Doctors Weir and Beckett, discussing something with great intensity.

"I'm guessing there's a good reason for why you made me leave my lab and stop all my research to come here instead," he announced, his voice quick and irritated.

Beckett nodded. "Yes, Rodney. Teyla just called in and, apparently, the Colonel collapsed, so I'll need to be here when he arrives. Unless you wanted him in your lab."

"Oh. No, no. He would probably knock everything off the shelves and break it all…

"Not nice, Rodney," a muffled voice said from behind him. He didn't need to turn around to know that it came from Sheppard.

"How ya' feeling, lad?" Beckett asked, pushing past Rodney and going directly over to Sheppard.

At first, it looked like Sheppard was about to reply with some sarcastic remark like, _fantastic _or _peachy, _but he seemed to catch himself, knowing he would probably get shocked if he said something like that. So instead, he just grimaced, hoping Beckett would get the idea.

He was still just as shaky and unstable as ever, but he was standing on his own two feet, though Teyla and Ronon were on either side of him in case he fell. He looked a little more defeated than the last time Rodney had seen him, which scared him a great deal.

"Right, well the nurse is going to hook you up to an IV. Just try to keep your hand on the IV stand so you don't jerk it out again," Beckett replied, signaling to one of the nurses and to Ronon. The nurse came forward wearing a pleasant smile while Ronon followed them to the other side of the room.

"Ok Rodney, what do you have?" Elizabeth asked, bringing everyone's attention back to him. Rodney had found himself lost in Sheppard's movements again, but managed to pull himself back to the present.

"Right… well I can't do anything right now, but I'm close," Rodney began, not wanting to get their hopes up and make them believe he could make a big difference now. "But I've figured out a lot about the device and, given time, I should be able to slowly turn off his symptoms."

"You mean you will not be able to turn them all off at once?" Teyla asked, voicing all of their questions.

"That's the thing. This device is the most complex one I've seen yet. It's literally like three different devices put together. Maybe even four depending on how you look at it." As usual, Rodney spoke unnaturally fast, which usually resulted in him leaving everyone else behind. The man seemed to have all of his thoughts laid out in his mind, pictures and all, and he just skimmed over them with his words as though everyone else could see into his head.

"And what does that mean, Rodney?" Elizabeth questioned, urging him in a direction that would be more beneficial to the rest of them.

"It means that we will basically be fixing three different devices. That's why none of those simpletons who claim to be world-renowned scientists haven't made any progress. They've been looking at it like one device, when it's really three. Or four," he added, waving his hand in the famous Rodney-way.

They all took in his words, thinking about what he was saying and what it meant for Sheppard.

"Ok, and what do you mean by three _or_ four devices? Wouldn't it be better to know for sure which it is?" Carson asked.

Rodney frowned at this, obviously taking it as some sort of insult. "Why, yes Carson. It would be _very_ nice to know for sure. But since you pulled me out of my lab, I wasn't able to figure that part out completely," he huffed out before actually answering the Doctor's question. "What I mean is that the separate systems correspond with his different symptoms. You see, from what I've been able to gather, there are three different settings, and either one of those settings has an extra feature, or it's a completely different system altogether."

It was getting a little confusing at this point, and Rodney could see that they were losing his train of thought, unsurprisingly, so he broke it down a little further.

"Apparently, with this device, you had the option of starving your prisoner, shocking them when they lied, and shocking them when they went to sleep. And there is a different system for each one of those, which are like three different devices." He attempted to speak a little slower for them and, upon looking into their eyes, he determined they were following enough to continue.

"Wait, it will shock him if he tries to sleep?" Carson asked suddenly as his brain caught up with Rodney's words.

Rodney nodded. "Of course now it wouldn't make much of a difference because he can't even stand still, which was my next point. The possible fourth setting, which is the inability to sit still, may be an addition to the "no sleep" setting, or another system altogether. If that's the case, we are actually fixing _four_ different devices. And, the way they set the device up, it allowed the Ancients to pick and choose which forms of torture they wanted. I'm guessing when it broke, it went into some sort of default mode, which turned them all on full blast."

"Ok so, what you're saying is, this device is like three, or four, different ones jammed together into one, and you will have to turn them off one at a time," Elizabeth said very clearly, trying to sum up Rodney's long and complicated speech.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," he replied. "And I think I'm close to figuring out one."

"Well, then make it the one that won't let him sit still," Carson said in his professional tone of voice.

Rodney winced. "I'm not sure if I'll be able to distinguish which is which."

"Well, it would not do him much good to give him his ability to sleep if he is unable to sit down," Teyla added.

"I know that. Which is why I need to be in my lab, working to turn as many of them off as I possibly can. And maybe I'll even find a way to tell which is which."

They stood quiet for a moment or so, knowing that they would like to question him further. But, finally, Elizabeth nodded.

"Right. Get back to work Rodney, but right when you get one figured out, I want to know immediately. Or, tell Carson first," she added as she noticed Beckett getting restless at that last comment. "I think it would be best to turn them off as soon as possible, even if it is only one at a time. Do you agree?" she asked, turning to Carson.

"Aye. That may be our only chance. As long as you know you're turning them off, and not turning them higher, or something."

Rodney rolled his eyes, not appreciating Beckett's doubts in his abilities. "You wound me, Carson."

"What is it?" Sheppard asked, making his unsteady way over to them holding firmly to an IV stand, Ronon on the other side.

Rodney looked at him and felt his stomach turn uncomfortably. He hated feeling that way towards Sheppard, but this was so unusual. He then looked to the others with an expression he hoped they would understand, and when they all nodded, Rodney knew he could leave.

"They'll fill you in. You know, you look like a druggie going through withdrawal," Rodney said, knowing that his comment was replacing what was meant to be a reassuring tone.

"Thanks, Rodney," Sheppard replied sarcastically, though he knew very well that it was Rodney's way of saying he's doing everything he can and that he cared about what was happening to him.

"No problem," Rodney replied before giving them all a small nod to say goodbye, then turned and left the infirmary.

"He's figuring it out, Colonel," Beckett said softly. "It seems as though your symptoms will be turned off one by one, but its something."

Sheppard nodded. He had forced himself not to pace, but instead rocked side to side, shifting on his feet. It didn't give him the satisfaction that pacing did, but it made him feel slightly less idiotic. The truth was, he was feeling worse by the second, and he could feel himself slowly losing strength. He wanted so desperately to sit down and could feel the muscles in his legs being pushed to the limit. There had been very few times when he had felt more helpless than this, and he hated it because he was in the one place he had always felt most comfortable. At least for the last couple of years.

"When will he be done?" Ronon asked, his voice lower than normal.

"We are unsure, Ronon. But I believe Dr. McKay will be able to relieve John of at least one symptom very soon," Teyla answered, her voice full of hope and optimism. And whether it was all authentic or not did not matter, as it was what they all needed to hear.

"I've got to get back," Elizabeth stated to them all, though mostly looking at Sheppard. "But I'm only a short call away if I'm needed. And you'll let me know if anything else comes up," she added, directing the last part to Beckett.

"Of course."

"Good." She turned to John again, and grabbed his trembling shoulder. "Hang in there, alright?"

He simply nodded, but his narrative eyes told her everything she needed to know, as usual, and she felt confident that he would do everything he could to follow her order. And while she would prefer to stay here and help get him through this, she had a responsibility as expedition leader and she needed to get to it. But thanks to John's eyes, she felt comfortable enough to leave.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The last thirty minutes were honestly a blur to him. He had been doing so much at once, and was thankfully making progress with it. But now, things were slowing down. He realized how close he was to fixing one of the systems in the device, he just wished he knew which one.

For the first time in a while, he decided to stop and just look at the device, hoping something would pop out at him. It really was complicated. There were so many multicolored wires crisscrossing through it in a tangled heap, and the device wasn't even that big. Looking, however, was getting him nowhere. He still didn't understand the device anymore than he did before, and he still wasn't any closer to fixing it, so he went back to work.

Stopping and looking did tell him one thing, though; How tired and hungry he was. He had gotten sleep back on the planet, but it wasn't exactly sound. Not only had he been without his prescription mattress, he also never found it easy to sleep in an unknown world, with no one there that he knew, and a wild storm raging just outside.

And as for being hungry, well, he had eaten plenty on the planet and had also eaten since getting back to Atlantis, but he was hungry again.  
While normally he would probably take a break to eat, maybe sleep, he couldn't even imagine it right now. That was simply because Sheppard couldn't do either, and hadn't done either in over a day.

Rodney suddenly slammed his fist on the table in frustration. He _needed _to figure this out. For Sheppard and for all of them. He knew that as long as Sheppard was experiencing these symptoms, at least one person would stay up with him when they should be sleeping. And Rodney knew he, too, would be unable to sleep until he got the device figured out. Or at least enough that Sheppard was no longer in serious trouble.

He knew that if he could only get the shaking system off, and then the sleeping one, Sheppard would be much better off. Sure, he wouldn't be able to eat still, but he knew Sheppard. He had _accidentally _read Sheppard's files upon first meeting him, and knew that he had been tortured before, which probably meant no food. Bottom line, Sheppard could deal without food long enough for Rodney to fix the rest of the device. And lying... well, Sheppard deserved the shocks for lying to them all so many times.

"_Rodney, this is Dr. Beckett. Please respond._"

Rodney smiled very quickly, thinking it was funny how Beckett felt he needed to clarify who he was even though he was the only man on Atlantis with such a thick Scottish accent.

"Yeah, I'm here," Rodney responded, his hands still dancing over the device, then over to the computer.

"_Good, good. Um, how's it coming? Are you close?_"

While he would normally resent being rushed, he could hear the added anxiety in the doctor's voice, and could tell something was up.

"Yeah, actually. Should be done with this one pretty soon," Rodney answered truthfully. "What happened?"

There was a pause from Beckett, which made Rodney's stomach even more upset.

"_Well, we've got it under control now, but the Colonel collapsed again. Came much closer to losing consciousness and got one hell of a shock for being too still. He's walking in the hall right now, but he can't do it on his own anymore. I… I just don't think he will last much longer like this. Something's gotta give. And when I say 'something' I mean he needs to be able to lie down._"

It was Rodney's turn to pause now. Part of him wanted to inquire further on the Colonel, but the scientist in him had other plans. Things were getting bad, and while he was thankful he was making a significant amount of progress, he knew that it may not help Sheppard much if it was one of the less-important systems.

"Carson… I've already told you. I don't know which system I'm fixing yet," he replied. His voice was not harsh, nor was it in any way condescending. It just displayed how worried and tired Rodney was, and Beckett could hear it.

"_Aye, son. I know. What I mean is, you should get whatever you do have done down here as soon as possible. At least then, if it's the wrong one, you can get started on the next one right away. Maybe it will even go a little faster." _

Rodney thought about this. Technically, he could be done in a matter of minutes. But that was also the estimated time, not including test runs or simulations. On the one hand, he would never risk using the device on Sheppard if he hadn't run enough tests, but on the other hand, he was sure that the device couldn't make it any worse on Sheppard. 

"Okay, okay, okay. Just, give me five minutes," Rodney said quickly, his mind still racing. "I can be done by then, but that's without testing the thing first."

"_Are you sure it won't escalate his symptoms?_"

Rodney considered this question and its possible answers before replying. "Yeah, I know it won't make them worse, but…"

"_Then we take that risk." _

The firmness in Carson's voice left Rodney speechless. He knew Beckett would never take a risk like that unless things were really bad. He guessed that Beckett knew Sheppard could pass out at anytime, which would be bad. Probably. 

"Alright. Give me five minutes and I'll be down there. Have him ready."

"_Aye, good luck." _

Five minutes. 

That wasn't a whole lot of time. He knew he could finish it by then, but a part of him never wanted that five minutes to be up. He knew any number of things could go wrong, and could result in making the Colonel worse, or even…. Well, he wouldn't think about that.

As one more wire was twisted into place, the device emitted a quiet hum, telling Rodney that it was time.

"Dulane. Rossom. You're coming with me," Rodney said suddenly. It hadn't really been something he was planning on, but it seemed like a good idea now. Not only were they the only ones who had actually used the thing so far, he would also want them to be there in case something went wrong. It was their faults, and he wanted them to be there to see what that had done, and was still doing.

He saw the utter fear in their eyes as they got closer to him, but he couldn't quite place it. He was too nervous himself to really be all that scary to them. Yet when he thought about it, they probably hadn't seen the Colonel since it happened, and while Rodney liked to think of himself as fierce, he had nothing on Sheppard. Ronon would be there too.. Okay, so they had plenty reason to be scared. And that only made the decision more appealing to Rodney.

They walked through the halls without a sound, arriving at the infirmary quicker than Rodney really wanted. Yeah, he knew time was of the essence, but he was so nervous about using the device on Sheppard.

When they walked in, they found Beckett, Teyla, and Elizabeth grouped together facing who Rodney knew was Sheppard and Ronon. They walked further into the room, confirming Rodney's theory as he saw Sheppard standing more unsteady than he had ever seen him, and Ronon holding onto his shoulder. The knot in Rodney's stomach tightened.

"Rodney," Elizabeth said gravely, apparently knowing how badly this could end up. He nodded to her in return, then turned to Rossom and Dulane, who seemed to know what he was asking.

"The rest of the device is on the back of his head," Dulane started, though both his and Rossom's eyes were staring at Sheppard looking like they were going to be sick. "You… you have to put them together before pushing the button."

Rodney frowned at this. He was nervous enough about standing a few feet away from Sheppard as he pressed the button, but being right behind him? That was even worse. Rodney nodded, knowing it would have to be him to do it, mostly for Sheppard's sake. The Colonel probably wouldn't trust Rossom or Dulane to do it.

He stepped closer to Sheppard, and noticed how out-of-it he seemed. His eyes were looking in Rodney's direction, Yet it didn't look like he was actually _seeing _Rodney.

He could see the intense look in everyone else's face as he got closer to Sheppard. Rodney walked behind the man, thinking how cruel it was for the device to be in the back where the prisoner couldn't see or know what was happening. He knew every soldier feared things being done behind their back, simply because they felt the need to see what was going on at all times.

Rodney wondered briefly how he was going to do this since Sheppard was swaying so much, but he knew he could manage. He gently put the device against the piece attached to Sheppard's head, and before pressing the button, Rodney found himself whispering into Sheppard's ear.

"Trust me."

To his surprise, Sheppard slowed his swaying and his shivering calmed enough for Rodney to fill confident about the device's placement. For some reason, Rodney's doubt disappeared and knew something good was about to happen.

With that encouraging feeling, he pressed the button.

* * *

**EN: **Hope you liked it! Oh, and I realized I've been saying "Happy Labor Day" when its really Veteran's Day.. haha, I'm a fool. It's funny though... I'll update when I can. Goodnight, all! 


	5. The Game

**AN: **Hello everyone. Sorry for the wait. The weekdays get very busy and I just don't have the time to write that much. But, as promised, I got this one out. And, I think you guys might like it.

**Thanks: **To reviewers and my very amazing beta, **Stealth Dragon. **She is very good at this and the chapters are always greatly improved with her suggestions. So, big thanks to her!

**Disclaimer: **Don't own 'em. So sad…

**Warning: **The usual… a few bad words. I think this is a pretty laid back (and long) chapter… so take your time, and enjoy.

* * *

_And with that encouraging feeling, he pressed the button. _

The hum of the device grew louder, though no one was really listening to it. Rodney could feel it vibrating in his hands even though Sheppard was still trembling. The knot in Rodney's stomach twisted painfully as the seconds passed, yielding no result. Then, without warning, a bright light was emitted from the piece attached to Sheppard's head and, for what seemed like a century, the world stopped turning.

Everyone watched, tight-lipped and hearts racing, as the device continued to light up the already bright infirmary. And just as suddenly as it had appeared, the light shut off. As it faded from the room, Sheppard started to fall, practically in slow motion to everyone watching.

Rodney was so overwhelmed with the latest turn of events that he didn't even think to reach out and grab Sheppard until the last second, but all he felt was air. However, what he had missed, Ronon and Beckett had not. They had not been able to hold him up completely, as Sheppard's body had turned into dead weight, but they had managed to safely and gently lower him to the ground.

Rodney's view of Sheppard was then blocked as Beckett began calling out different orders, all mumbles to Rodney, and nurses rushed over. They were suddenly pushing him and Ronon aside so they could have better access to the fallen Colonel.

For a split second, Rodney entered a very dark place in his mind where he was sure he had messed up, positive that Murphy's Law had proven itself authentic, and that one of the many things that could have gone wrong, did go wrong. He knew Sheppard was dead, or else dying, and knew it was all his fault.

But the darkness that had engulfed him cleared instantly as one of the nurses moved and revealed Sheppard's face. He didn't look fine, even though he probably would have said otherwise if he were asked, but he also wasn't dead. In fact, his eyes were open and looking around the room as if searching for something. He was confused, that was for sure. But what person in the room wasn't?

Rodney briefly looked away from Sheppard and, instead, to the others in the room. He saw their expressions and could sympathize with them as he was feeling the exact same way. It seemed as though everything had turned upside down, and while minutes ago the world had stopped turning, now it seemed to be turning too fast.

But when he looked back down at Sheppard and saw the man actually grinning, though his face was otherwise the definition of exhaustion, the world slowed. He wasn't sure if Sheppard had completely lost it or if there was actually something worth smiling over. Then he realized that Beckett was smiling too.

"Alright, he's having trouble breathing. Get me an oxygen mask and let's get him on a bed," Beckett ordered, though his mouth was still displaying a relieved grin. Rodney was in a daze as to why they were smiling, and when he looked at the others, he saw them all staring at either John, or at him, absolutely beaming.

"You did it, Rodney," Teyla exclaimed, walking over to him and wrapping her arms around him. He couldn't remember a time she had ever hugged him, and while it was awkward, it sort of made him feel warm and safe.

"I.. what? I did what?" he stammered, pulling away from her and looking at them all, and then at Sheppard. He now had a bulky mask over his face, yet he too was looking at Rodney with glazed but relieved eyes.

And then it occurred to Rodney: Sheppard was lying down. He wasn't pacing, he wasn't shaking; He wasn't standing at all. He was in a bed where he should have been for a long time. And before Rodney realized it, he had joined the others in smiling.

The feeling in the room was so uplifting compared to the heaviness before. They had all been praying and hoping for something good, even if it were something small. This was exactly what they had all been wanting. No, he wasn't out of the woods and they still had a lot of work to do, but Sheppard's chances at pulling through just increased exponentially.

Most of the nurses had finished their jobs and were beginning to move away from Sheppard's bed. Beckett stayed near, though, as he placed a few more wires on John's body. The screen above the bed was already reading out different stats on the patient. Upon finishing, Beckett nodded over to the group waiting for approval, and signaled that they were allowed to come closer.

Sheppard was amused at the sight of them, huddled together as they came near. Almost like sheep or something. He couldn't even begin to say how much better it was feeling how his body was no longer shaking constantly. But, of course, the relief was equally matched by the endless aching his day of nonstop movement had brought upon his body. He felt like he had absolutely no strength, which he thought was contributing to his difficulty in breathing.

He tried to focus on them all, but it was getting so hard. He could feel his eyes trying to roll to the back of his head every time his eyelids fell too low. Yes, he was no longer having to move around, but the damage had been done. He was more tired than he had ever been, and he needed sleep. He so wanted it. Yet he had heard what McKay said; he'd be shocked if he fell asleep. And while getting shocked wasn't too bad, it was really starting annoy him.

"Everything feeling okay, lad?" Beckett asked, pulling Sheppard from his dazed state.

Without thinking, he replied, "Yep." And of course, because he was not feeling one hundred percent well, he was shocked. Oh, that was really getting on his nerves. He opened his clenched eyes and saw everyone staring back at him with raised eyebrows and smirks. He rolled his eyes in return.

"John, it would do you well to speak truthfully," Teyla said softly. He knew she was just trying to help, but it wasn't like he was intentionally lying.

"I'll keep that in mine," he replied thickly, finding it difficult to even talk.

They could all see how hard he was fighting to stay awake, and felt for him. Most of them had been up as long as he had to keep him company, but of course they had sat down and rested in that time, giving them an advantage. Unfortunately, they had all felt guilty about sitting down or even standing still around him because he didn't have that luxury.

"Did you ever figure out whether the shaking was combined with the sleep-deprivation, or a whole other system?" Elizabeth questioned as though reading everyone's mind.

"No.. no I didn't."

"So, he might be able to sleep?" Beckett asked hopefully.

John was already losing his battle. He heard their conversation and knew he was running a risk by giving into the sleep, Yet he decided it was worth it. He needed to know, if nothing else. Beckett's question was the last he heard before the dark closed in around him and his eyes slid shut. The bliss was so wonderful, and equally as quick. Before he could even enjoy actually sleeping, he experienced the most intense bolt of electricity he had felt yet. He guessed a higher voltage was used to wake a person up.

"That would be a no," he groggily answered, accepting that he would not be sleeping anytime soon. His voice was muffled from the oxygen mask, but whether they heard him or not was irrelevant as they had seen what happened for themselves.

The overwhelming relief they had experienced for conquering the most severe of Sheppard's symptoms faded slightly as they realized it was far from over. There was still so much work to be done. And not just for Rodney, who had to fix the device, but for the others as well, who would have to stay up and watch John fight something he needed so badly, knowing it was only making things worse for him. They all knew it would get too much for him, at which time he would be subjected to more electrical shocks.

Rodney sighed. "Well, one down, three to go," he stated disappointedly. He had so hoped that when he fixed either the shaking system or the sleep-deprivation system, it would knock out the other. But nothing was ever that easy.

He felt odd, now. He knew he should head back to the lab and continue working on the device, but he also wanted to stay with Sheppard. He would never be able to explain the urge to sit with Sheppard when he was hurt, it was just always there. They never discussed it, even when their roles were reversed and it was Rodney in the infirmary bed. Sheppard was just there when he woke up, and that was that.

Now, it would not be a matter of Sheppard waking up, but of going to sleep.

The room had quieted in that moment, as most of them were at Sheppard's side, or in Ronon's case, lying on the bed next to him. Rodney looked around a little more, still unsure. He kind of hoped someone would suggest something. Tell him to get back to work, or something.

Apparently, Sheppard was able to read minds now, because Rodney saw him barely lift his hand off the bed and motion for Rodney to come forward. He didn't really know what to expect. He moved closer to Sheppard. As if everyone else sensed it was going to be sensitive talk, they moved back, allowing some privacy. He didn't like the special attention, though, because it gave him this horrible feeling that whatever Sheppard had to say would be the last thing he ever said. Rodney shuddered at the thought and a part of him wanted to tuck his tail and run back to his lab, but of course, he continued on.

"What is it?" Rodney asked. It literally hurt his stomach to see Sheppard so tired. He eyes were still surrounded by dark circles, but now his eyelids seemed swollen, which he knew wasn't helping him keep them open.

He saw Sheppard contemplating what he wanted to say, and finally, when he spoke, his "Thank you," was so quiet Rodney could barely hear it. He wasn't sure if that was due to Sheppard's current condition in combination to the oxygen mask, or if he wanted only Rodney to hear it. Either way, the message was received loud and clear.

"You're uh… you're welcome," Rodney replied uncomfortably. It just wasn't his strong point. Wasn't Sheppard's, either, so it all worked out fine. "I'll be back later," he told John, who nodded.

Sheppard watched as Rodney left, then continued his blinking, trying desperately to ease that horrible stinging in his eyes.

------------------------

Rodney wiped his brow. He was the only still awake. And for good reason, as it was three in the morning. But he couldn't have slept even if he tried. He had been in his lab for hours, working nonstop on repairing the next system. It was actually coming along.

Things were becoming more and more clear as he continued. In fact, if he wasn't terribly mistaken, and he wasn't, he was extremely close to figuring out how to determine what the different systems were. And if that was the case, he could prioritize as to which one should be fixed first.

That being said, all he needed to do now was work on the device itself. Which meant that if he wanted to, he could actually leave the lab and take the device wherever he wanted. He would just need to take his computer and the few tools he was using, and viola! He was portable.

There was no sense in denying it, a large part of him wanted nothing more than to be in the infirmary. The good news was that he had not got a call from Beckett, or anyone else, saying that Sheppard was losing it or something bad like that. Not that he didn't trust him to stay strong, but this was different, even for the indestructible John Sheppard.

Rodney laughed. Before this expedition, he wouldn't have wanted to leave his lab for anybody. Once he was in there, there was no getting him out until he done with his task. He just found it humorous how quickly things could change.

So, he continued to work until he found a good stopping place, packed up all of his necessary items up, and headed for the infirmary.

-----------------------

"Your favorite animal?" Ronon asked Sheppard from his bed.

It had been hours since the device had enabled Sheppard to lie down, and everyone was dropping off like flies. It hadn't taken Elizabeth long before she announced she had to go, which didn't bother him. She had a big job and couldn't spend all her time down in the infirmary. He had ordered poor Teyla to get some rest in her own quarters. He had suspected that in addition to staying up with him since it all happened, she hadn't been getting a lot of sleep in general. So, he had ordered, she had argued, but in the end she went to bed. Of course, Rodney was locked away in his lab and he was pretty sure Carson had fallen asleep at his desk.

So that left him and Ronon, both in beds, playing a rather painful game they had recently discovered. Painful for Sheppard, anyway.

It had come about when he kept losing his battle with sleep. It became obvious to both of them that they would have to talk about something more interesting or else Sheppard would keep getting shocked by a very high voltage of electricity. No, it wasn't fatal or anything, but it hurt a lot more than the lying shocks, which mostly just annoyed him.

But as they discovered, the low frequency shocks he received when he lied were very helpful in keeping him awake. So, the new game was focused around that: Ronon would ask a question, and Sheppard would answer as truthfully as he could, and see whether he got shocked or not.

"My favorite animal? That's the best you could come up with?" Sheppard asked, turning his head to see Ronon smiling back with his arms wrapped behind his head.

"Yep."

Sheppard rolled his eyes. The questions had gotten more boring as time went on. Of course, Ronon was still loving the game, as he wasn't the one getting shocked. They had played around for a little while and even went as far as letting John ask Ronon questions, but soon discovered it wasn't worth it.

"Um… a penguin," Sheppard answered. He thought there might have been a shock coming, but when nothing happened, he found himself surprised. A lot of the more personal questions, such as his favorite animal, were getting him shocked. And to think Sheppard thought he knew himself… Which was probably why Ronon kept choosing those kinds of questions.

"What's a penguin?"

Sheppard thought about the question and the answer. He wasn't really wanting to tell Ronon that his favorite animal was a little bird-thing that couldn't even fly.

"Nothing," Sheppard answered, trying to stay away from answering the question, but also not wanting to lie about it.

As the word 'nothing' left his mouth, he was greeted with another shock. This annoyed him greatly.

"Okay, yeah, its something!" he yelled at the device as though it could actually hear him. Man, the thing was picky about what was true and what wasn't. Half the time, he didn't even know what the truthful answer was.

Sheppard heard laughter from beside him, and turned to see Ronon practically giggling.

"Hey, you can't laugh at my pain," Sheppard shot at him. It was bad enough he had to be in the position anyway. He didn't need his friend and teammate laughing at him every time he got shocked.

"But it's funny," Ronon replied simply.

"Not it isn't." _- Zap -_

Ronon just stared at him with a smirk as he got over his last bout with the electricity. Maybe it was a little funny, Sheppard decided in his head. He still held up the pissed façade.

"What's going on in here," an all-too familiar voice asked. Sheppard looked towards the door and saw McKay standing there with his computer, a bag, and the evil device itself.

"You're just in time to join our game," Ronon said happily from his bed.

McKay looked suspiciously at the two. "Game?"

He couldn't even guess what the two of them could have come up with, but by the looks of Sheppard, it couldn't have been anything too fun. The man looked practically drunk. He wore a sloppy half-grin and his hair was more unruly than ever, which was saying a lot. And even when he spoke, his words slurred together at times.

"Yes, a game of pleasure and pain," Sheppard stated. "He gets the pleasure, I get the pain."

"What's a penguin," Ronon asked suddenly, catching Rodney off guard. What the hell would a penguin have do with any of this? He looked at Ronon, who was grinning like a jackass, and to Sheppard, who was now frowning. And looking possibly embarrassed.

"It's uh.. It's a wimpy little bird-thing that can't fly. Just swims around and gets eaten by leopard seals and stuff. Why do you ask?" Rodney answered, seeing the expressions on both their faces amplify.

"A bird that can't fly?" Ronon asked, sounding thoroughly amused. "What's the point in that? Do they taste good?"

"No… just leave it. I like penguins. That's that," Sheppard added, trying to sound manly and in charge. The truth was, he had just answered off the top of his head without really thinking. He couldn't really understand why the penguin was his favorite animal, but according to the device, it was. So, he would just accept that.

"Okay, can someone please tell me what's going on here?" Rodney asked loudly, pulling a chair next to Sheppard's bed.

"Just a game that's keeping me awake," Sheppard answered tiredly.

Rodney considered this answer, then realized what they were doing.

"This game wouldn't involve electric shocks, now would it?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Yep. That's why it's called, Shocking Sheppard," Ronon replied, still looking entertained.

"You named it?" Sheppard asked, annoyed that he was once again having to deal with people naming things. Although it was also a welcomed memory. Nobody paid any attention to his question, anyway.

"That's horrible," Rodney stated, appalled they would do something like that. Or that Beckett would even allow it. "And does Beckett know about this?"

"He's asleep."

"Oh, well that's real safe…"

"It's keeping me from falling asleep. And when I fall asleep, the shock is a lot worse. Lesser of two evils, McKay."

Rodney decided not to continue the argument. Sheppard sounded confident about his little demented game, so who was he to stop that?

"You gonna stay n'here?" Sheppard asked, suppressing his yawn for the umpteenth time.

"Well, I figured it would be necessary. It might help to have both parts of the device and since the other part is attached to your head.."

"Yeah, yeah. I got it."

Sheppard clumsily brought his hand up to his eyes and rubbed them. They continued to sting as they tried to tell him how much they wanted to close. And he would love to give in to their plea, but if he left his eyes closed for too long, he would inevitably fall asleep.

"You should sleep," he finally said, letting his unbearably heavy arm fall back to the bed.

"Who? Me or him?" McKay asked, motioning over to Ronon.

Sheppard shrugged. "Either. Or both, I guess."

Rodney thought for a minute and knew he had every intention of staying in there.

"I get it, Colonel. You don't want me here. But you're just going to have to deal, 'cos I'm not going anywhere. Conan here can leave if he wants to."

John knew this was how it was going to end up. And, truthfully, he had wanted it that way. Ronon needed to sleep. He had been running around Atlantis with John for over a day and lifting him back to his feet every time he fell. The guy needed a break. Besides, John knew the chances of getting Ronon to go to bed were much higher than getting Rodney to.

"I think I might," Ronon stated, sitting up from his lounged position on the infirmary bed. "But you gotta play the game with him, McKay," he added seriously, his face displaying a warning look.

Rodney looked from him to Sheppard who simply shrugged in agreement.

"It does help, McKay," he said, his puppy dogs out full-blast.

"Oh, alright," Rodney responded, rolling his eyes. He didn't want to play Shocking Sheppard because he didn't want to be involved with sending electricity through the Colonel's body. Then again, he claimed it helped him and… how many times would he get the chance to shock John Sheppard for fun?**  
**  
"I'll play the game."

* * *

**EN: **How do you guys like The Game? I think they should play it on the show.. Hehe. Ha, I was actually going to have another cliffy here that was worse than last time, but I figured this would be more appreciated. I'll try to post quicker, but don't expect it too soon. 


	6. Hypothetical Questions

**AN: **Alright. Finally got it up. Sorry it took so long, but its here so. Yeah. Man, I lost a good deal of steam with that last chapter... wonder why? Was it not all that great or did people just not have the time to respond? Either way, I really appreciated the reviews I got and hope that reguardless of the reviews, the story is still being enjoyed.

**Big Thanks: **To the one and only _Stealth Dragon _who really improved this chapter a LOT. More than usual. It was pretty bad when I sent it to her, and with her suggestions, I revised it into a much better chapter. So, its quality has a lot to do with her. So, thanks a lot.

**Warning: **Same as always. A few bad words here and there. Nothing too bad and not much at all.

**Disclaimer: **Don't own it.

* * *

"Okay, so your house is burning, and you could either save your wife, or your three kids," Rodney asked, sounding thoroughly proud of his scenario. "And no, there is no way to save both. You have to choose one or the other," he added, having experience with hypothetical questions and Sheppard.

John sighed. They had been at this for almost two hours, now, and he would easily admit that Ronon was much better at _Shocking Sheppard. _When Rodney actually remembered to ask him a question, he was subjected to questions with obvious answers or ones that he couldn't answer. And then, Rodney spent more time arguing with his answers than he did asking questions. And, it wasn't like Sheppard could actually lie.

"There's no way I can answer that," John answered, then received a nice little shock for it. "Okay, I _can _answer it," he added through gritted teeth. "But it wouldn't be a truthful answer." This time, there was no shock.

"Why not? It's not that hard," Rodney replied, his hands still roaming over the device.

"Yeah, it is," John responded, rubbing his hand over his increasingly painful eyes. "I don't have a wife or kids."

Rodney looked up, now, seemingly confused. "So? It's hypothetical."

"Yeah, but it wouldn't be some random woman, and a random group of kids. I don't know about that bond, or whatever it is, between a man and his family, so I couldn't answer truthfully."

Rodney still did not seem convinced, which only made John fear more for McKay's future family. However, he seemed to give up on the scenario as the device was agreeing with his answers. That came as a blessing for John as he was becoming too exhausted to argue.

"Okay fine. Whatever. What about…"

John was trying to listen. He really was. But even as he tried, McKay's voice morphed into a distorted mumble that John suddenly decided was not worth trying to comprehend. Everything around him lost value, and all that mattered was closing his eyes and drifting off into the wonderfully deep and dark world of sleep. Some little annoying voice in his head was warning him not too. Telling him to fight the blissful sleep, but he _really_ didn't want to listen. And he didn't intend to.

----------------

Rodney was trying hard to keep Sheppard entertained, but it was a lot more difficult than he would have thought. Rodney was, admittedly, a very focused person and multitasking wasn't his strongest point. Well, he was great at it as long as it was something scientific. But once the human factor was added in, Rodney lost his abilities.

Although the fact that he was even trying was admirable, and surprising even to him. He would do a lot for the people on his team, because he was sure deep down in him he cared for them, or something. However, this was taking Rodney's kind of "caring" to a whole new level. McKay was more the type to stay behind the scenes and fix whatever was causing the problem, not working on the actual battlefield.

And yet, here he was. Asking John Sheppard different pointless questions that would likely shock him. While it was an interesting turn of events, Rodney wasn't too fond of _Shocking Sheppard. _He even found himself asking questions with simple answers, hoping it wouldn't result in electricity.

He was now focusing mostly on the device and forgot the last question he had asked Sheppard. But he knew he _had _asked one, and hadn't received an answer. At first, he thought nothing of it, just continued with his work. Then it occurred to him that Sheppard never stayed too quiet for too long in fear of falling asleep.

Slowly, Rodney lowered the device to his lap, then looked up at Sheppard. The man's eyes were barely opened to slits, and even then, they appeared to be rolled up unnaturally high. He was extremely still and as pale as ever. It was obvious that he was falling asleep.

Something inside of McKay screamed to shake Sheppard or call his name. Anything to keep from him from sliding into the welcoming darkness that Rodney knew was gathering at the edges of his mind. But for some reason, his body wouldn't obey his mind. He didn't say a thing, nor did he move. He just watched with a racing heart as Sheppard's eyes fell lower and his breathing became deeper.

Rodney knew Sheppard was asleep before the shock came. In fact, the brief moment was quite soothing knowing that the sleep-deprived Colonel was finally resting. But as Sheppard had warned, the resulting shock was visibly worse than the ones used when he lied.

Even as it happened, Rodney didn't move, just watched with a strangled curiosity. It was so surreal watching Sheppard convulse, his back arching and limbs shaking with such intensity. His neck was bent at an odd angle that Rodney knew would hurt him later on. His movements were almost rhythmic, and the sound of the bed ramming against the wall provided the music. For some time, McKay lost all sense of where he was and what needed to be done. Just watched in some sort of horrified shock.

Eventually, he realized he needed to do something. But, the thought did not motivate him to actually move. His mind and heart were racing, but his body was frozen. He did begin whispering Sheppard's name, but that was it. It wasn't that he didn't want to actually _do _something, because he did. It was simply that he was at a loss for what to do. He couldn't touch Sheppard, and he wasn't anywhere near being able to use the device yet. So, he stood there until Beckett pushed him aside.

Finally, Sheppard's body stopped tensing, but it had been too long. Much too long. Sheppard seemed to be alright now, except he hadn't woken up as quickly as Rodney would have thought. The fact that the device had continued to shock him was a warning sign. Sheppard was losing his ability to wake up, in addition to his inability to sleep in the first place.

But, something clenched at Rodney's insides tighter than it had yet. And it wasn't just fear for Sheppard anymore, it was something else. Still fear, Rodney was sure of that. But fear of what, he couldn't decide. Fear to be in the room, fear to watch Sheppard be electrocuted again… Whatever it was, Rodney was scared.

"Alright son, just talk to me for a minute, please," Beckett asked, gripping Sheppard's arm.

Rodney took a moment to look at Sheppard. He was not as inert as before and his eyes were open, but were unseeing. He looked deeply dazed and confused, which made Rodney feel worse. Sheppard just did not do 'dazed.' It wasn't his thing.

"You with me, Colonel?" Beckett persisted, still speaking loudly and clearly so Sheppard would hear him.

It took a moment until Sheppard's eyes finally seemed to refocus and he nodded slowly.

"I'm here," he breathed out.

"Good," Beckett replied, sounding both relieved and worried. "That's good. Anything I can get ya, son?"

One corner of Sheppard's mouth curled up slightly. "No, thanks."

Beckett squeezed his shoulder again, then began looking over the monitors attached to Sheppard's bed. Certain precautions had been taken to protect the machines as well as the surrounding objects from spreading the electricity. Although, it appeared that the device was able to keep the shocks within its occupant's body.

"You look like you're gonna be sick, Rodney," Sheppard slurred, his attention now on McKay who was still standing a couple feet from his bed.

"Yeah? And you look like you just got the hell shocked out of you," McKay retorted without considering his words, his voice trembling slightly.

Sheppard chuckled tiredly at this. "You're good."

"How's the device coming?" Beckett asked, apparently finished with looking over Sheppard's stats.

"What? Oh yeah," Rodney began, then looked over to Sheppard's bedside table where the device had been discarded during all the commotion. "Its uh… its coming."

They stared at him for a moment, obviously expecting him to continue and divulge more information that he just didn't have.

"And that means?"

Rodney narrowed his eyes at Beckett. It wasn't only that he had been hitting road-blocks with the device after his initial progress, he also didn't want to tell _them _that.

"It's coming. What more do you want from me? I haven't slept in a while," McKay blurted out, his temper rising as his patience dwindled. But even as he said it, he knew it had been wrong. "Oh well… well you know what I mean.. its just.. I don't know," he stammered.

"McKay, it's alright. Get some sleep," Sheppard slurred once again, his expression serious.

"What? No, no, no. I can deal… I'm fine. I just need to finish this, that's all."

"Rodney, you're not gonna help me if ya' can't stay 'wake," Sheppard replied. His body seemed dead, the only sign of life was his slitted eyes and shallow and shaky breaths.

More indistinguishable feelings arose in Rodney. He wanted to help Sheppard, he really did. But the device was suddenly being uncooperative and it was becoming unbearable to watch electricity shoot through Sheppard's body every few seconds. And ever since that last episode with him falling asleep, Rodney had a terrible feeling it would happen again, and next time it would take him too long to wake up. Or else he wouldn't wake up at all. And that made Rodney afraid to hang around.

"Yeah, you're right," Rodney decided aloud. "Yeah, I think that may help. I'll see you later," he added quickly, grabbing his computer and the device. He didn't look at Beckett or Sheppard, just left. Of course, he had no intentions of going to his quarters. He just couldn't be in that infirmary anymore.  
--------------------------

"He's not going to his quarters, is he?" Beckett asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Nope," Sheppard responded. "But he lasted a lot longer than I thought he would."

"Aye, that he did." Beckett sighed as he took residence in Rodney's deserted chair. "I just hope he figures it out soon."

"You and me both, Doc."

"You know, I could give you something to make it easier to stay awake. I was a bit hesitant to use it before, but I think its getting necessary now," Beckett said, his eyes on John's swollen ones.

John shook his head. "No. I don't think that's a good idea."

Beckett frowned. "Why not?"

"I don't know," Sheppard answered truthfully. "I just don't think it's a good idea. Not now. I may need it later."

Carson decided not to persist and just took his word for it. He could tell that John wasn't a hundred percent sure on his decision, and rightly so, but Carson knew that look. It screamed the same insecurity the Colonel always had towards drugs and stimulants, not to mention the fact his condition was so unknown, he would feel more comfortable fighting it naturally. Or, it could have been another one of the Colonel's gut instincts, that were usually right on target.

"Well, I suppose you wouldn't mind me stayin' and talkin', now would ya?"

Sheppard smiled. "Not at all."

"Good," Beckett responded, then narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Now, was it just my imagination, or did you and Ronon come up with a… _questionable _game?"

-------------------------

For the third time, Rodney had to reach up and wipe the sweat from his forehead. He wasn't doing anything particularly strenuous, it was simply that he was beyond flustered. It happened sometimes when he was being pushed for time and couldn't quite figure things out.

He had had to stop a couple of times and try to determine where things had gone wrong. He had been making such progress, and now it was like trying to sort out a large plate of spaghetti. He had temporarily abandoned hope of determining which system was which, and had refocused his attempts solely on fixing a single system.

The problem was, Sheppard was losing it. And that meant Rodney was losing precious time. He didn't blame the Colonel in the least because he knew how much energy he had used up and how badly he needed rest. But his continuously deteriorating condition was definitely not helping Rodney at all.

"Dammit!"

"Rodney," a quiet, yet firm voice said from behind him. He turned suddenly to see Teyla standing in the doorway, watching him cautiously.

"Uh, yeah? What is it?"

Teyla did not speak right away, just watched him with her analytical eyes.

"Nothing. I wanted to see you. It has been many days, and we have not really had the chance to meet on willing conditions."

Rodney felt the intense frustrations inside him diminish slightly. She had _wanted _to see him. And she was right. The moment he had stepped out of the jumper, he had been whisked to the infirmary then immediately got started on the device. He had not had the chance to really enjoy being back home with the people he considered his family.

"Oh.. Well thanks, I guess. I just figured you would be with Sheppard."

Teyla smiled, though it did not have the amount of life in it that he was used to seeing from her. "That is where I was heading," she replied honestly. "I could not sleep and knew John could use the company. But something led me here."

"Oh, well, there's nothing too new going on here," Rodney stated bitterly.

"Rodney, you are very discouraged," Teyla spoke softly, coming closer to him. "I know you are under a great amount of stress, but you must not let it get to you. You have the ability to fix this device with time to spare, this I know. You simply have to trust yourself and stop thinking of what _could_ happen."

Rodney listened to her, knowing she was right, yet did not know how to follow her advice. The truth was, he had been presented with much harder things to fix, and had fixed them. But this was a lot different.

"He's uh… he's getting worse," Rodney stated suddenly, surprising even himself. "He fell asleep while I was there, and it took too long to wake up. He's okay now," he added quickly, considering how this news might sound. "It was.. Just too long."

There was a brief pause in which Rodney was sure Teyla had lost her optimism, but he underestimated her. He felt a soft, warm hand on his forearm and turned to see her smiling at him. Only this time, it was a true Teyla-smile.

"Do not worry about that," she said simply. "John will always fight when he thinks there is a chance of survival. And he has displayed much more hope since your arrival. He knows you will figure it out, and will wait until you do. Do not underestimate him, and do not underestimate yourself."

She gave his arm a squeeze before turning from him to leave his lab.

He would never know how she always managed to clear his head, but she did. And for the first time in hours, he was able to return to his work, feeling more confident than ever.  
----------------------------

John took a deep breath and watched as the sky slowly grew brighter. He always found himself captivated by the colors that were created at sunrise and sunset. On Atlantis, there were no trees or buildings to obstruct the sky's beauty. At least not in certain spots.

He had managed to convince Beckett to let him out on the nearest balcony, which also happened to be the largest. Which was ideal as Beckett had only agreed to the whole thing on the condition that Sheppard remain on a gurney.

It didn't take much convincing. He would have done just about anything to get out of there. Besides, he didn't have the strength to make it out any other way. He had found that out the hard way when he had had to use the restroom. A memory he would not mind forgetting.

It was just him and Beckett on the balcony, which was fine with him. Carson did a pretty good job of keeping him awake, and had magically found a way to keep him alert without actually shocking him. He was sure that the sky was helping as well.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Carson asked.

Sheppard nodded slowly, silently wishing he had the strength to raise his head from the pillows to get a better look around. He was sitting up, but it was still difficult to see. "Yeah, it is. The reason I became a pilot."

"Really?"

John thought about it. "Well, sort of. There were other reasons, but the sky was one of the main ones. Always loved it."

"Ever wanted to be an astronaut?"

"Yeah, actually. Loved the sky, loved to fly. Seemed like a perfect match. But, having experienced both, I think I prefer being on planets. Prettier that way. More to see."

Carson could understand this. Space was beautiful, but it didn't have the variety of colors and sights that a planet did. It was really just black with bright lights. Nothing like the array of colors they were looking at now.

"I think I need to go back," Sheppard said suddenly, pulling Beckett from his thoughts and causing him to jump to his feet. John Sheppard never suggested returning to the infirmary.

"What's wrong, son?"

Sheppard's head rolled and his eyes began searching. "I just… need to get back," he repeated, causing the fear to rise in Beckett's body.

"Alright, Colonel. We're going now," he reassured as he began pushing the gurney back to the infirmary. He tapped his ear piece. "This is Beckett. I'm bringing Colonel Sheppard back, and there might be something wrong. Be ready. Colonel, can you tell me what's wrong? Colonel? John?"

"I… ca' stay 'wake," he slurred, almost to the point of being incomprehensible.

"Alright, just hang on."

----------------------------------

"I got! I think I got it!" Rodney exclaimed, practically laughing when he did.

It had taken hours of endless puzzles and tedious work, but he finally figured it out. Well, he was sure he did. Things had been downhill ever since Teyla's talk and, while he had continued to work towards fixing one of the systems, along the way he had discovered more. All of that resulted in him being eighty-five percent sure he was fixing the system that would allow Sheppard to sleep.

And it was finally done. He was done. For now, at least, and that was good enough for him. If he could allow Sheppard to sleep, then everything would be better.

"_Rodney?_"

The sudden voice startled him and caused him to jump, almost losing grasp of the device. He didn't know whether to laugh or start yelling at the irony of that possibility.

"Yes, what is it?"

"_It's Elizabeth. I need you down to the infirmary now with whatever you've got." _

Rodney felt himself freeze, hearing the urgency in her voice. 

"Well, I-I'm done. I think. What's happening?" He asked as he packed up his things and began practically jogging to the infirmary.

"_Just get here._"

------------------------

The world was a haze. He was finding it harder to focus on the individual things around him, and he was even losing his ability to distinguish which person was standing over him, begging him to 'stay with them.'

Again, that little voice in his head agreed with them. He knew he needed to stay awake, but it was near impossible now. Every part of his body felt unbearably heavy, and that included his eyes, which were demanding they remain closed.

He could hear the voices grow desperate, and wanted so badly to make them feel better. He could see their faces swim in and out of focus and amongst all the confusion, he came to the realization that Teyla and Elizabeth were there as well.

He then noticed that the voices and faces turned their attention from him to someone, or something, else. He couldn't be sure who or what, but he suddenly felt a little better, like something good was going to happen, and he could really use some good feelings.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see the very blurry face of Rodney McKay standing over him. He said something, but John couldn't quite make it out. He did, however, recognize the mood Rodney was in as the man began rambling nervously. There was a clear sense of hesitation and insecurity in his face, and John was able to get the gist of what Rodney was saying without really hearing a word that was said.

He mustered up the very last bit of energy he had, and whispered a few words he hoped would give Rodney some confidence.

"I… trust you."

He didn't know whether that made Rodney feel better or not, but it apparently did something for him. He felt as though he could fall asleep now. He knew he could. He wasn't sure why he felt this way, but figured it was just because it was getting too hard to stay awake. So much that it just wasn't worth staying awake.

Without thinking about it anymore, he allowed himself to slip away.

-----------------------

Rodney watched with horror as Sheppard's body lost all tension and his eyes slid down completely. He was going to sleep. This was it. And sure enough, a furious humming sound erupted through the room as electricity made it's way through Sheppard's sleeping body.

Once again, they were all subjected to the fierce wracking and squirming the electricity caused to Sheppard's body. The only difference Rodney could see from the first time was that Sheppard didn't seem to be fighting it at all. He had apparently let go completely. He just kept lifting from the bed, then slamming back down in that same horrific rhythm.

The room also sprung to life with Beckett shouting orders and everyone attempting to see and stay out of the way at the same time.  
But nothing was happening.

"Dammit! I can't touch him! Rodney!" Beckett shouted, displaying everyone's rush of fear and frustration.

Rodney forced himself out of his stationary shock, and began to think. He knew that as long as he had a clear shot of the device, he could attach the two without getting shocked. So that wasn't the problem. What was bothering him was the fact that his fears were coming true: Sheppard wasn't waking up, just continued to tense and convulse.

Rodney suddenly found himself beside Sheppard's head, his hand already reaching out with the device in hopes of stopping the continuous shocks. Luckily, Sheppard's head was turned to one side, though still convulsing with the rest of his body, and Rodney knew he could do it.

So, he did. And after a few minutes of the world standing still after pressing the button, Sheppard stopped convulsing, and the low hum ceased.

It was replaced by the constant wailing of a heart monitor.

* * *

TBC...

Another evil cliffie. Sorry, but it felt right. Hope you all liked it and reviews are greatly appreciated. (Constructive criticism welcomed as well.)


	7. Charge

-**AN: **I cannot even begin to tell you guys how sorry I am for the wait, but in my defense, these last few weeks have been a sort of hell. Well, I'm a theatre geek, and was teching for my high school's musical (Footloose) and I was getting up at 5:45 in the morning, and getting home at 11:30. All week. So, there was no time to write or anything. And this week has been the hell. Problem with Algebra II… oh well.

Well, enough excuses. But I did not give up on the story or even hit a block. But you know what they say: when it rains, it pours.

That's all I need to say. Other than thanks (again) to **Stealth Dragon**. (You rock!)

Enjoy the long-awaited chapter…

* * *

Carson would never be able to explain the rush that came over him when something went wrong with one of his patients. It wasn't a pleasant rush, it was an automatic and necessary one. It was almost as if he went into a form autopilot that guided his hands and told him what command to give to the others. 

And as the Colonel's heart monitor wailed, he felt that autopilot take over, and all that mattered was getting John Sheppard's heart beating once again. As he rushed to the man's side, he could see the horrified looks, and knew what needed to be done.

"Get them out of here," he ordered to one of the nurses, knowing that none of the people gathered around would want to leave. But, it was necessary, and Carson knew that. "And get me a crash cart and charge to 200!"

Time slowed down for a moment, allowing him to notice the horrified looks on the faces around him. Faces that belonged to bodies that were being pushed from the room. One in particular caught Carson's eye, and it was one of those rare moments when Rodney McKay let all else go to be nothing more than a scared, helpless man. Carson was suddenly glad Rodney was being pushed out, because it looked like he wouldn't be able to handle anymore before breaking completely.

Time did not remain slow for long, and he was bolted back to the terrifyingly real environment that was waiting solely on him to work his magic.

Carson felt, suddenly, as though he were a bystander, watching the entire scene unfold. He knew his face showed little emotion, which ultimately betrayed the feelings that were screaming inside of him. He felt his body move with an odd sort of grace as he grabbed the paddles to the defibrillator and prepared to send electricity through a body that had already had enough. But it was the only chance they had at getting the heart to beat again.

"Clear!"

The hands of nurses shot into the air, then followed closely by a body that fell lifelessly back to the bed. Carson waited for a steady beep to replace the constant whine, but was not surprised when it did not.

"Charge to 300!"

He saw the medical team press buttons, then nod to him. He took a deep breath and said a silent prayer to the Lord before shouting "Clear!"

---------------------

It was all so surreal to Elizabeth, and yet it felt like she had done it all before. No, this wasn't the first time she had been forced to wait for news on the fate of someone she cared about, and knew it wouldn't be the last. But there had only been a few times when the situation had been this desperate.

John's heart had stopped.

He wasn't in surgery, he didn't have a high fever, and he wasn't sick. He was, essentially, dead. Sure, it had happened before, but that didn't really provide much comfort for her. And neither did Rodney's pacing.

She wished she could say something to him, except she didn't have a clue as to what would work. Besides, how could she comfort him when she was so upset herself?

Ronon had joined them shortly after being escorted from the infirmary, and was now leaning against a wall opposite herself. Teyla sat tensely in a chair, her back straight and her eyes unfocused. Elizabeth, herself, stood because she just couldn't quite bring herself to sit. This was all so very familiar to her, and she hated it.

She looked back at Rodney and realized he was in deep thought, sometimes gesturing with his hands as though he were having a very heated debate with someone. She knew he hadn't gotten much sleep or food, and the last thing they all needed was something happening to him, too.

"Rodney…" Elizabeth said, deciding it was time to try something, anything, to calm him down.

He didn't even seem to notice she had said anything. Just kept pacing and thinking.

"Rodney," she tried again, a little louder this time.

"What if I did it?" He asked suddenly, stopping completely. He looked so very tired, but then again, they all did. Yet the look in his eyes was unlike anything she had seen in him for a very long time. It was almost as if he had lost all control, and it scared Elizabeth so much.

"Did what, Rodney?" She asked as if she were talking to someone mentally ill. She quickly shook the tone, deciding it was inappropriate, especially since it was _Rodney_ she was talking.

"Rodney?" Elizabeth coaxed once more when he did not reply.

She noticed that both Ronon and Teyla were now paying full attention to McKay, a new kind of worry on their faces. On Teyla's, at least. Ronon just seemed interested, though worried in his own way.

"Rodney!" She almost yelled.

"What if I did it? His heart?" Rodney stammered, his face now contorted in horror.

"Rodney, what are you talking about?" Teyla asked, standing from her chair to get closer to McKay.

"The device. When I pressed the button... it stopped the electricity, but his heart stopped as well," he said quickly, though he did not appear to be saying it to anyone in particular. "I just assumed I'd stopped the electricity, but what if I was wrong? What if _I_ stopped his heart and the electricity stopped only because I killed him?"

Elizabeth didn't know what to say to him. What he was saying was technically possible, but Rodney rarely made mistakes when it came to his area of expertise. She doubted John's heart had stopped because Rodney had made a misjudgment or a miscalculation, but he certainly did not feel the same way.

"Rodney, I do not believe you made a mistake. But even if you did, Dr. Beckett will be able to help him, and you will simply try again," Teyla spoke, her words so smooth and comforting. Elizabeth sometimes envied her for her ability to remain calm and sooth others.

"Yeah? And what would it matter? He'd wake up, only to fall back asleep and then what? More defibrillators and more electricity! I know Sheppard's lucky, but he can't be _that _damn lucky," Rodney shot back, his face growing unnaturally red.

Elizabeth was about to reach out to him when the infirmary door slid open. They all froze, waiting anxiously as the outline of Dr. Beckett came closer. Elizabeth could tell he was exhausted and that he had not had an easy time in there, but he also didn't seem too upset.

Elizabeth half expected McKay to attack Beckett with questions and start rambling about his newfound theory, but to her surprise, he grew unnaturally quiet and still. The others had followed her lead and walked up to meet Carson, while Rodney stayed a few steps behind. If she didn't know any better, she would guess that he had already decided John was dead.

Carson seemed to understand the immense tension that hung in the air, and knew he needed to cut to the chase.

"He's alive," he said as a weary, but genuine, smile formed on his face. "And he's… asleep."

The words hung in the air as they slowly entered each one of their brains. _He was asleep. _It all felt like a dream, now, and not a nightmare. Or rather, a nightmare with a happy ending. Either way, things were getting better, and that was more than they could have asked for at the moment.

She found herself grinning broadly and turned to find the others doing the same. Well, all of them except Rodney. He still seemed to be in shock. She decided to walk over to him, and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"It looks like you didn't kill him," she said, still grinning.

He didn't respond at first, just kind of sputtered, but eventually a hint of smile could be seen. It never really developed, but relief was clear on his face, if nothing else.

"When will we be allowed to see him?" Teyla asked quietly, her voice displaying the same relief that was on everyone's face.

"Well, technically I could let you all in now," Beckett began. "But just give me a minute to make sure he's comfortable and decent."

"You don't think we'll wake him, do you?" Elizabeth questioned, knowing that keeping John asleep was more important than her urge to see him.

Beckett laughed. "Oh no. I don't think he'll be waking up for quite a while. You see, he's not just sleeping, it's beyond that now. His body is basically forcing it. Not to mention a few of the drugs we gave him."

"But, he's okay, right?" Ronon added, his deep voice rumbling through the hallway.

Beckett did not answer right away, which didn't do much for Elizabeth's nerves. "I couldn't say one hundred percent. His body's really been put through the ringer. Nothing is certain, but given the Colonel's stubbornness, I'd say he'll be fine with some rest and food. Which reminds me.." Beckett continued, turning now to the still remarkably quiet Rodney. "I'll need for him to be able to eat here soon. It's already been over two days, and could be a few more depending on when he wakes up. Of course, we may need to intervene if he doesn't wake up soon enough, but we'll meet that if and when it comes."

"Yeah, yeah," Rodney responded, though his voice was rather shaky. "It'll be done soon."

Elizabeth could sense the desperation in him to see Sheppard for himself, and knew the feeling was mutual in everyone in the room.

"Alright, I'll send a nurse out to get you in just a second. "

It took only a few minutes after Beckett left for a nurse came out to let them go in. It felt wonderful to be going back in knowing that John was okay and would likely remain that way. She hadn't known what to think when they had been ushered out, but now she felt a lot better.

They were all making their way back to John's area of the infirmary and could see his motionless form already. Elizabeth had an idea of what to expect and was very thankful he wasn't visibly hurt. He was not covered in cuts or bruises, and he wasn't transforming into a bug. He would just be very tired looking, which she was more used to seeing with him.

And sure enough, he looked beyond exhausted. And still. So very still. In fact, if the heart monitor wasn't there assuring her of his beating heart, she would have guessed he was dead. It really didn't do his personality justice, but given the last few days, it was only natural. She could now see why Beckett knew he would be sleeping for a while. He seemed to be in such a deep sleep that he would never wake up.

"Alright," Beckett addressed them quietly. "You have fifteen minutes at most. I want you all to get some real sleep yourselves."

None of them bothered to argue with him. They were all very tired. Elizabeth was sure that even when a few of them had gotten some sleep, it had been anything but sound. And now that John was almost out of the woods, it would make it easier for all of them to get a good few hours of sleep at least.

They used all fifteen of those minutes before leaving. Nothing had changed, not that any of them really expected it to. But seeing him asleep was reassuring for Elizabeth and, by the way everyone else looked, they also felt better.

With one last squeeze of John's hand, she said a silent goodbye, then headed for her quarters.

----------------

It amazed him how absolutely long three days could be. Three days equaled thirty-six hours, which, in turn, equaled 4,320 minutes. Of course, it hadn't been three days _exactly, _but it was close enough to round up, so that's what Rodney did.

Sheppard had been asleep for almost three days, and it was killing him. Everyone had told him that Sheppard would sleep for a while, but no one mentioned just how long "a while" would be. It was too long, in his opinion, and he was sure Sheppard was just taking an extra long time to wake up to spite Rodney.

However, in that time, he had been able to do more research on the device and clear up some unanswered questions, and the results had been surprising. But he would discuss them later with someone else. Right now, he was on his way to the infirmary.

He had been going back a couple times a day, only to find Sleeping Beauty doing what he did best. He had gone back about a day after the Colonel's heart had stopped to switch off the next system and allow the man to eat. It was a weird experience to say the least. He had been forced to turn Sheppard's head to get to the other half of the device. It hadn't felt right moving the Colonel's head like that, and then he didn't so much as flinch. It was just odd, in Rodney's opinion.

And now, he was going back to do it all over again. The final system was to be turned off today, the one that shocked Sheppard every time he lied. It was honestly a handy little device, especially when it came to Sheppard and his frequent lies. But, it needed to go. At least for now. The good thing was, by the time Sheppard finally woke up, he would be completely back to normal.

Rodney rounded the corner into the infirmary and found Beckett leaning over some guy.

"Carson. How's the voodoo coming today?" Rodney greeted as he walked past the doctor.

"Just fine, Rodney. Thanks," Beckett replied sarcastically. Rodney paid no attention. He just continued his walk across the infirmary to Sheppard's bedside. As usual, he was in the exact same position.

"I take it you finished with the device, then?" He heard Beckett ask from behind him.

"Yep. Though, it's kind of nice knowing that he can't lie," Rodney said as he continued to tamper with the now completely restored device, getting it ready to use on Sheppard.

He heard Beckett chuckle. "Yeah, I agree. It gets tiring when he always claims to be fine."

"Yeah, well, he'll be back to his old self here soon," Rodney added. And while he made it sound like that was a bad thing, they both knew they missed the old Sheppard: the one that was always running around doing something, whether it was something important or not. The old Sheppard that would wind up in the infirmary for little cuts and bruises due to unknown reasons.

Rodney was now ready to press the magic little button and set Sheppard free of his last burden, he just needed to turn Sheppard's head again. Rodney frowned. It just felt like he was invading the man's privacy or something. Nevertheless, he gently put his hand on Sheppard's forehead, then began to push it to the side. But, there seemed to be resistance now…

Rodney removed his hand quickly and leaned in closer to Sheppard's face. Surely he wasn't waking up. He would have to eventually, but definitely not now. He was completely hovering over Sheppard, just staring at his face. The Colonel did seem more animated, now, even though his eyes were still closed. It was odd.

After a minute or so, Rodney decided he had just imagined it and placed his hand on Sheppard's forehead again.

"Wha' the hell you doin'?" A very low, and hardly audible, voice said. As it was said, Rodney felt the muscles under his hand contract and move. It was enough to cause Rodney's hand to fly back and make him jump.

After all this time, Sheppard was awake. And of all the times to wake up, it had to be when Rodney's hand was all over Sheppard's face. The world seriously had it in for him.

"Are you _trying _to give me a heart attack?!" It probably wasn't the best thing he could have said at the moment, but it was the first thing that came out.

Sheppard didn't say anything, just rolled his eyes away from Rodney and let his eyelids drop.

"Oh no, you're not going back to sleep," Rodney protested as he got closer to the bed again. "Beckett! He's awake."

A second later, Beckett was on his heels, already asking Sheppard questions.

"Ah, Colonel! So nice to finally see your eyes again," the doctor greeted cheerfully. "Well, apart from me forcing them open, of course."

Rodney smirked. Beckett sure had a way with words.

"How long's I out?" Sheppard slurred, his hand rubbing tiredly at his eyes.

"Three days," Rodney answered quickly.

Sheppard's hand suddenly fell from his face and he looked surprised. "Three days?"

"Yep. You want me to break that down for you? Hours? Minutes?" Rodney continued.

"Save it, son," Beckett said suddenly before turning back to Sheppard. "You're doing just fine, Colonel. Losing a little too much weight, but we can take care of that in due time. I'm sure you're still tired so you can rest up. And when you wake up, we'll discuss the rest."

Those words circled around in Rodney's head. He looked from Beckett to Sheppard, noting that the latter was already sleeping. "Wait, what? Rest? You don't think three days is enough?"

Beckett rolled his eyes and grabbed Rodney's shoulder to lead him away from Sheppard's bed.

"The last three days of sleep have basically been forced. Now, he's just going to get some rest for himself. The kind of sleep that one normally gets. But it won't be as long. In fact, it'll probably a few hours at most," Beckett added softly.

"What about the device?" Rodney asked, looking down at the device in his hand.

"Just do it when he wakes up. He's not going to tell any lies while he's asleep," Beckett replied simply.

Deep down, this news bothered Rodney. He had been waiting forever for Sheppard to wake up, and now that he had, he was just going right back to sleep. But, the look on Sheppard's face had displayed deep exhaustion, and Rodney was not going to fight with Beckett's orders, anyway.

"Yeah, yeah. Alright," Rodney finally said. He would just have to wait a little bit longer. That was all.

That didn't mean he had to leave the infirmary. He found himself going right back over to Sheppard's bed, and plopped down in one of the three chairs stationed at his bedside.

Just a little bit longer. That was all.

* * *

**EN: **Just a bit longer, my lovely readers. That's all. I hope to have this baby done soon. I have District Thespians (theatre competition type thing, for those who don't know...) and will be gone all Saturday. A day I usually write everything. I really hope to have the next one out sooner, but just know, it will be out as soon as I possibly can because otherwize, it will bug me until I do. I don't like to be bugged. 

Teehee... so, thanks again everyone, and have a wonderful weekend.


	8. Aftershock

**AN: **Another long wait, I know. You can blame that on the Holiday Season. It has its ups and downs... Anyway, here is the eighth and final chapter. Lasted longer than I expected, but here it is none the less.

I want to thank everyone who read and review, and most of all _Stealth Dragon _for being an amazing beta and improving each and every chapter so much. THANKS!!

No more chit-chat. Read and enjoy :)

_

* * *

"Rodney." _

He was pulled suddenly from the magical world between consciousness and sleep by a female voice calling his name. He inwardly cursed himself for forgetting to remove the comm set before lying down, but was too satisfied with his current position to even reach up and take it out now. He figured they would leave him alone eventually.

He had been in his own quarters for at least two hours. Or maybe it was more, he didn't really know. He just remembered being kicked out of the infirmary by Beckett after sitting with the asleep - surprise, surprise - colonel for countless hours. Beckett had insisted on him getting some sleep himself, and while at first Rodney had laughed at the notion of getting sleep, when he actually laid down, it wasn't as hard as he thought.

"_Rodney,_" the voice persisted, once again making him more aware of his surroundings than he wanted to be.

He couldn't see why they were bothering him. They were always nagging him about getting more sleep, and when he actually could, they would wake him up. And the truth was, he hadn't been able to sleep well for over a week. Even when Sheppard's heart had been forced to beat again and was technically sleeping a few days ago, Rodney still couldn't get any real sleep. He guessed he could now because Sheppard had woken up, even if only for a short amount of time, and Rodney felt as though he could relax, some.

"_Rodney, its Elizabeth. Just, come down to the infirmary when you get up, please._"

Rodney considered these words, who said them, and what they meant. First of all, if Elizabeth was calling him, it was probably important. But on the other hand, she held no kind of anxiety or worry in her tone that was usually there in dire situations. And, finally, she had said to come 'when he woke up,' which suggested the situation wasn't bad enough to require his assistance right away.

However, she _was_ calling him from the infirmary. Which meant Beckett would be there, as well as Sheppard. And since it had been Beckett who had forced Rodney to go to sleep in the first place, why would the doctor allow anyone to wake Rodney up now? And what other reason would they need him in the infirmary if it wasn't something to do with Sheppard?

"_Rodney,_" a new voice called, one that Rodney recognized, but didn't expect to hear. "_I promise you I will let you sleep for weeks if you want it, but I've got to get this damn thing off and they won't let anyone else do it," _Sheppard spoke, sounding annoyed and maybe even slightly desperate. Either way, it caused Rodney to bolt up, forgetting his previous hopes of sleep.

"_Look, you don't even have to come down, just tell Weir that you'll let some of your people do it. Hell, I'll even take Rossom or Dulane,_" he added, making it blatantly clear to Rodney that the man was desperate.

Rodney was now completely out of his bed and getting ready to head to the infirmary. Sheppard still sounded very tired, but he was awake and giving orders. Well, he wasn't really ordering Rodney to do anything, but there was no way Rodney was going to ignore his pleas for help. Besides, he wouldn't dare let anyone else turn the device off, especially not Rossom or Dulane.

"See, what I don't understand is why you have to wake up right when I finally get some sleep," Rodney replied into the earpiece.

There was a pause from the other side and he knew that Sheppard was considering his words carefully. "_I know, Rodney. I'm sorry,_" he said, quiet and sincere, making Rodney feel bad for bringing it up. "_But I'll give you my dessert for a month._"

Sheppard stopped suddenly and a buzzing sound filled Rodney's head, then cut off completely.

"Sheppard?" He asked, expecting to hear the hot-headed flyboy to reply, but he didn't. "Sheppard?"

"_Rodney?" _Another female voice called. "_It is Teyla. It appears the Colonel does not truly plan on forfeiting his desserts for month,_" she said incredulously, though Rodney could hear a faint smile in her tone.

Rodney let an exasperated sigh escape before responding. "Yeah? Well, I could have told you that one." He tucked the device tighter under his arm and continued quietly towards infirmary. The things he did for people…

-------------------------

Everything felt blissfully warm to him. He could tell right away he was not in his own bed, but he also didn't feel the need to question much further. The bed wasn't amazingly comfortable, but none of the beds on Atlantis really were. And frankly, after spending as many nights sleeping on sand as he did on his tour in the Middle East, he preferred less comfortable mattresses.

The one thing that did bother him, however, was the bright lights. He had always hated trying to sleep with lights shining in his eyes. So wherever he was, he probably hadn't put himself there.

And, slowly but surely, other sensory details began to present themselves to him. He felt like he was surrounded by people and noises, but they were all trying to be silent. His mouth was horribly dry and then there was the smell. The disgustingly sanitary smell. And as the smell registered in his brain, he knew exactly where he was.

He tried to open one eye, but the lights caused it to close. He tried again, this time squinting and blinking against the lights until his eyes were more adjusted. He realized that there was no one directly beside him, but he could see two familiar figures a couple feet away from the foot of his bed.

"He's fine, love. I'm expecting him to wake up any time now," a thick Scottish brogue assured someone. As John's focus cleared, he could see the unmistakable outline of Teyla standing with Beckett.

"Good call, doc," another voice rumbled to his left, causing John to flinch slightly. He turned his head to see a blur with thick dreadlocks smiling back at him. Soon after, he was surrounded by two other people.

"Good to see you awake again, Colonel," Beckett greeted jovially. "How ya feeling?"

John sighed and considered the question. "Good," he finally answered, but was then rapidly overtaken by a sudden and intense jolt of electricity.

The world disappeared for those few moments while the electricity flowed through his body. When it finally subsided, his surroundings returned very slowly. When he finally regained his ability to focus, he saw faces hovering over his own, their gazes full of worry.

Why had he forgotten about the shocks? It wasn't like he hadn't had practice with trying to censor his words and keep them as black and white as possible. Either way, he had forgot about his current situation, and had suffered greatly for it. In fact, he didn't remember the lying shocks taking such a toll on him before.

"Colonel," a soft voice broke through his world of haze. "Are you alright? John?"

He focused his attention now on Teyla, who's voice was so very soothing, and attempted to smile.

"I guess… I guess I should'n answer that," John answered, still attempting to hold his grin.

The fact of the mater was, he felt as good as possible. No, he wasn't a hundred percent, but when taking the last few days into consideration, he was doing pretty damn well.

He seemed to have convinced Teyla enough, though, because her previous look of apprehension had been replaced with something closer to relief.  
"I see the last system hasn't been turned off," John continued.

"No," Beckett responded as he did something with one of the machines surrounding John. "I wanted to wait until you were awake, now we just need Dr. McKay, and we'll be doing good."

"Well, I'm awake," John said, but suddenly lost focus once more as electricity sprouted through his body. Being completely unprepared this time, the agony seemed to last even longer. However, when the shocks ended, he forced himself to refocus quicker.

"What the hell was that?!" John shouted angrily through heavy breathing. There was no possible way that had been a lie. None. He _was _awake because… well he was awake. Unless he was actually asleep and was simply dreaming it all up, which was possible, maybe.

And now, on top of the horrible feeling of aftershock, he wasn't entirely sure what he was seeing was actually real. He let his eyes wander across the room and noticed that the looks on everyone's faces mirrored his own uncertainty.

"I just notified Dr. Weir, she'll be down here soon," Beckett said, coming closer to John's bed.

"Why Elizabeth?" He asked, deciding to go along with everything, even if there was a possibility it wasn't real.

"She wanted to know if anything came up, and I'm going to consider this 'something'," Beckett answered.

"What about Dr. McKay?" Teyla asked. "Shouldn't he be down here as well? Or can we just have another scientist complete the task?"

"No, I would prefer Rodney to do it," Elizabeth said, announcing her presence.

"That was fast," Ronon commented.

Elizabeth nodded then looked around. "Yes, I was near the infirmary when I got the call. What happened?"

"Well, I'm not sure yet, but it looks like there is something not quite right with the device. It just shocked him for something that was clearly not a lie, and all the other systems are off. That's it so far, but I don't really want to test the idea."

Elizabeth seemed to think about this new turn of events. "What do you think about turning it off?" she asked, turning to Beckett. "If there is something wrong with the device now, you don't think turning it off will cause any extra problems, do you?"

Beckett shrugged, looking lost and upset. "Not really the question for me, I'm afraid. I don't know enough about the device to make that call."

"Then get McKay down here," Ronon said simply, and it didn't sound like a suggestion.

"No," John said, tiredly lifting his hand into the air. "Let him sleep if he's able to." But even as the words escaped from his mouth, another batch of electricity rattled its way through him. This time, however, he did not regain his focus until some time later.

"We need McKay down here," someone said quietly, though John was too out of it to really tell who. And this time, he didn't disagree with them. He hated the thought of waking McKay up because of him, but all this shocking was really taking its toll on him. And it scared him how odd he felt after every shock.

"Right," he heard Elizabeth say, then turned to see her tap her earpiece. "Rodney."

The was a moment of silence, no one said anything, just watched and or listened.

Elizabeth sighed and tried again. "Rodney."

Again, they waited in silence. John felt himself grow anxious. He really wanted this all to be over and done with.

"Rodney, it's Elizabeth. Just, come down to the infirmary when you get up, please." She looked upset about coming to that conclusion, but defended her reasoning. "If he's not down here in ten minutes, I'll go get him myself."

That worked for John, he decided. As long as it was turned off soon, it didn't matter if it was now, or thirty minutes from now. He would just stay quiet until then.

He allowed his mind to wander to pass the time, but as he got deeper into his thoughts, he felt himself overtaken by another shock. He wished he could say he was getting used to it, but in all honestly, he was sure he never would. It was one of the worst feelings and only got worse each time.

When the shocks ended, John looked up and saw everyone else staring at him horror-struck. Without thinking, John looked to his bedside table where he remembered see a comm set, and grabbed it.

"Rodney," he called, knowing that all eyes were on him, questioning his actions but not daring to stop him either. "I promise you I will let you sleep for weeks if you want it, but I've got to get this damn thing off and they won't let anyone else do it."

Surprisingly, he managed to get all of that out without a single jolt and decided to continue quickly in hopes of avoiding the electricity all together. But he still didn't feel quite right begging Rodney to come help him. It was apparent the man was either dead asleep or otherwise busy. John knew that and it made him feel guilty about what he was doing. But he really did need Rodney's help.

"Look, you don't even have to come down, just tell Weir that you'll let some of your people do it. Hell, I'll even take Rossom or Dulane," he said, looking to Weir who nodded in return.

After hearing nothing, John decided to leave it alone. It wasn't worth begging McKay. Then he heard someone activate the communicator from the other end, and was relieved to hear McKay's whiny voice.

"_See, what I don't understand is why you have to wake up right when I finally get some sleep." _

John closed his eyes and sighed. He knew Rodney had had a horrible week as well, and John knew Rodney well enough to know that the scientist hadn't gotten much sleep either. 

"I know, Rodney. I'm sorry. But I'll give you my dessert for a month" But just as the words fell out of his mouth, he felt more electricity pulsate though his body. He lost focus, and found it extremely hard to pull himself back this time. He was vaguely aware of Teyla saying something, but it didn't really register.

--------------------

Rodney rounded the corner into the infirmary and saw the gang all there. All, of course, standing over Sheppard's bed but watching Rodney. He didn't take the time to greet any of them, just held onto the device even tighter and walked over to Sheppard's bed.

For a man he just had a conversation with, however brief, the Colonel really did seem out of it. His eyes were opened, but unseeing, and his breathing was irregular and slightly raspy. He didn't look too bad, all things considered, but he didn't look good either. But, the dazed state eventually passed until Sheppard seemed to focus on Rodney, now.

"It just shocked him for no reason, Rodney," he heard Beckett say. "Either you didn't turn off all the systems, or the device is… messing up."

Thoughts streamed through Rodney's head, considering all possibilities. He came to realize that it all made a fair amount of sense. All of the research he conducted while Sheppard was sleeping and all the theories he had about the device were proving to be true. But, first thing was first: Get the device off Sheppard.

"It needs to come off," Rodney spoke to no one in particular.

"It won't hurt him?" Elizabeth asked suddenly, her tone housing fear.

"I don't think so," Rodney replied as he prepared the device. "Look, I can't be a hundred percent sure, but I do know it will be way worse if we leave it on."

No one else spoke up after that. They all knew what needed to be done. And while the situation was not nearly as dire as before, they all felt an overwhelming anxiety over the fact that, in a few moments, the whole ordeal would be over. No more device, no more electricity. Now they could only hope it would all end happily, and Rodney felt fairly confident it would.

He stepped closer to Sheppard, who had remained perfectly quiet, and looked him in the eye. Sheppard had never been one to wear his emotions on his sleeves, but Rodney had known him long enough to know where the soldier's feelings were visible: His eyes. And right now, they looked worried, scared, angry, relieved, and confused. Maybe some others, but that's all Rodney picked up on.

Rodney placed his hand on Sheppard's shoulder, prepared to attach his part of the device to the part on Sheppard's shoulder, but stopped as a thought crossed his mind.

"You ready?" Rodney asked Sheppard quietly. He felt it was important to ask because he knew Sheppard liked to feel in control, at least partly. And lately, everyone had been talking about him as though he wasn't even there.

Sheppard seemed to appreciate the sentiment, and smiled wearily. "Yeah."

But then something happened. Without any kind of warning, Rodney lost all sense of where and who he was, but was painfully aware of the fact that his limbs were shaking and seizing. And then, as suddenly as it began, the feeling was gone and he was left standing unsteadily in the infirmary surrounded by his team plus Carson and Elizabeth.

When he finally realized he had just been shocked, he looked down at Sheppard who once again seemed very dazed, but after a few seconds, looked up at Rodney and offered a lopsided grin.

"Welcome to my world," he slurred.

Rodney narrowed his eyes at Sheppard. He knew the colonel had no intentions of shocking Rodney as well, but it didn't help his nerves. It did, however, give him a little more insight into what Sheppard was going through, which further motivated him to attach the device to Sheppard's head, and press the button without further question.

There was a blinding white light signifying that it was working, then it cut off. Rodney stared down at Sheppard for a while, trying to determine if everything was alright. Beckett was then at his patient's side, checking his vitals or whatever those medical people called it.

"Did it work?" Ronon asked, causing Rodney to jump. The guy was always so quiet that, despite his enormous stature, one could sometimes forget he was even there. Up until he spoke with that deep, echoing voice.

"Well how should I know?" Rodney fired back. "Tell a lie, Sheppard." It seemed to be the most logical test.

Once again, Rodney looked to Sheppard's eyes to determine how he felt, and all he could see was apprehension. He stayed still for a moment as he seemed to consider what to say and its possible ramifications.

"Canadian football is the best sport ever," he said finally. Rodney rolled his eyes and turned away. He couldn't be a regular human being, could he? But, nothing happened to him. A smile crept onto his face now, but not onto Rodney's.

"That doesn't prove anything," Rodney interjected. "You might really think that."

Sheppard said nothing, but his raised eyebrows and amused look displayed all that the man might have said.

"All I'm saying is, you should do something more black and white. Like your name," Rodney suggested. Sheppard sat for a moment, staring back at Rodney. And soon, a mischievous smile formed on his face.

"Ok," he agreed. "My name is Meredith."

Rodney rolled his eyes again, but with a bit more attitude this time. He was never going to live that name down. Once again, nothing happened to the annoying colonel. And despite being made fun of, Rodney couldn't help feeling relieved that is was all finally over.

"That is very good news," Teyla said cheerfully. "You did very well, Rodney."

There was a murmur of agreement that Rodney felt he could live with.

"Yes, you did very well, Rodney. But I would like to know more about this device," Elizabeth said, cutting her eyes at the discarded device. "It just doesn't seem like something the Ancients would invest in."

And, suddenly, Rodney was reminded of all the research he had done on the device and was glad the subject was brought up.

"I felt the same way," he replied. "Which is why I wanted to do more research. Of course, the Ancients had some intense weaponry, but this device, and the others that were discovered with it, all seemed to be a bit… savage for the Ancients' normal style."

"It was a time of war, Rodney. You sometimes take liberties," Sheppard suggested tiredly, his head now resting against the pillows as Beckett toyed with the IV in his hand.

"Exactly," Rodney agreed. "I considered that as well, but when I took a closer look at the other devices, I saw something. They were all very similar. Same ideas, same wiring, same everything. And while it was all undoubtedly Ancient style, there was something not quite right with them all. There were errors with all of them. Small mistakes. Mistakes that an Ancient science team would never make."

"You're contradicting yourself, Rodney," Beckett called from the other side of Sheppard's bed.

Rodney huffed at the statement. "Well, if you would let me finish," he shot back. "They were mistakes a _team _wouldn't make, but ones that a single person alone would," he stated, a sense of accomplishment in his tone. He could see everyone slowly starting to catch on and felt himself swell with pride.

"What I'm thinking is, during the war, some guy had the idea to use devices such as this to interrogate their prisoners. He may have even made some for… other purposes. But anyway," Rodney continued, catching himself. "I think he was just experimenting with them, and making them on his own, never really knowing if they would actually be used on people or not."

"Well, that would make sense," Elizabeth said silently. "Like you said, John, wars make people reconsider situations, and while the Ancients as a whole would never resort to measures such as those, individuals might have. Sounds good, Rodney."

Rodney nodded, relieved that his theory was accepted.

"Right, well, I think its time everyone left for a little while. I can see someone has sleepy eyes," Beckett said, eying Sheppard who frowned back in return. "And I would like to run a few more tests now that it's all said and done. You lot can come back after lunch.

Rodney heard Sheppard sighed, then saw him roll his eyes, and felt a very small amount of remorse for him. But it faded rather quickly. Rodney hung back and allowed everyone else to leave after squeezing Sheppard's shoulder or something mushy like that.

"Well, I guess I owe you a thank you," Sheppard said as he yawned.

"Oh no, no, no, no. You're not getting off that easy," Rodney replied, waving his finger in the air. "I get to sleep whenever I want to, and you have to give me your desserts for a month."

Sheppard chuckled at this. "Ah, but my fingers were crossed."

"Doesn't matter," Rodney stated simply. "_You _woke me up, so there."

"Ok, and how about I attach the damn thing to _your _head and accidentally drop it. What then?"

Rodney thought about this. He could continue the bickering, but he was still tired.

"You wouldn't dare," he said quietly.

Sheppard merely grinned back.

"Fine, for two weeks then," Rodney negotiated.

"Fine," Sheppard agreed, though if the device was still on, Rodney was sure it would have shocked Sheppard.

"Fine," Rodney echoed before turning to leave. He decided that, despite the obvious advantages of having that sort of device attached to Sheppard, he preferred the Colonel without it. And just before he got too far away, he heard Sheppard say "Thank you, Rodney," and smiled to himself, but pretended like he didn't hear it.

As Rodney made his way back to his quarters, he couldn't help but curse storms and Ancient devices and stupid scientists that had made his week a living hell. But, in the end, they did make his life more exciting, and to say he didn't appreciate that once and a while would be a lie. Frankly, he had had enough lying to last him a lifetime.

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**Thanks for reading and reviewing! Hope to see you all around very soon. Have a very Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays!!!**


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